Ceramics shop resurrects Rosa’s Flowers

MARENGO — Iowa County residents have seen Jean Reihman’s award-winning floral designs at the county and state fairs. Now they can own them.

Reihman recently purchased the flower business from The Back Porch Flowers, Sips & Gifts. The Back Porch will continue to serve coffee on Court Avenue, but the flowers — and the phone number — have moved to Reihman’s ceramics shop on Highway 6 across from Casey’s.

“[Andrea Wood] posted on Facebook that she wanted to sell,” Reihman said. Reihman bought the inventory, but not the name.

Reihman resurrected an old name for her floral shop: Rosa’s Flowers and Gifts. Pronounced Rozay’s, the name belonged to a flower shop on Highway 6 where the Kingdom Hall of Jehovah’s Witnesses is now, said Reighman. Rosa’s later moved to the Marengo square.

Lee Slaymaker was the last owner to have the name, said Reihman, but he let it go legally. Reihman asked him if he’d mind if she restored the name. He was happy to see it happen, Reihman said.

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“I’m not even from here,” said Reihman, but the Oxford native believes that if a name has been around that long, it’s worth continuing.

Reihman and her husband, Don Brandt, purchased the big, yellow building across the highway from Casey’s in 2006. It had been a lawn implement dealership. Reihman sold antiques out of the building, and Brandt sold Cub Cadets there.

Eventually Jean began creating ceramics there, selling them on Facebook at Trees by Jean.

“I’ve never had a lesson in ceramics,” said Reihman, though she’s been working in the medium since 1976. “I just kind of learned by doing.” She specializes in trees, not for Christmas only, but for all seasons.

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Reihman put a sign on the corner of the highway to lead people to the building, but the majority of her sales are not in person. “My shop is really online,” Riehman said. “I really don’t depend on local business.”

That has changed with the opening of Rosa’s. The building will be open for the sale of flowers and gifts from 9 a.m. to noon and 1-5 p.m. weekdays and 9-11 a.m. Saturdays.

“I have my associate degree in floral design,” said Reihman. “I’ve always liked it.”

She earned a Bachelor of Science degree in botany and chemistry from the University of Iowa and worked in biotech in Cedar Rapids because “chemistry paid more.”

But Reihman has always enjoyed flowers and has given floral arrangements as gifts throughout her life.

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Reihman has won countless ribbons and awards at the Iowa County Fair and at the State Fair in the 12 years she’s been competing in floral design. She consistently wins Best of Show and Excellence awards at the county fair and wins blue ribbons at the State Fair.

The secret to a winning floral arrangement is creativity, said Reihman. “They have to be unusual. It’s something to draw the eye,” she said.

“One year I took an antique bird cage and … I made Birds of Paradise.” Birds of Paradise are tropical plants that require high humidity, said Reihman. You can’t have them in Iowa unless you take them inside.

Reihman’s arrangement made the blooms look as if they were flying from the cage.

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“You took Best of Show with that,” Brandt remembered.

People can purchase fresh flowers that Reihman has in her cooler, or they can have Reihman design something for them. “I can design for any occasion,” said Reihman.

“I used to buy her flowers,” said Brandt. “She took them all out of the vase and redid them.”

“I’m an old-school florist,” Reihman said. You can’t just stick in a vase, she said. An arrangement needs symmetry and balance.

“The flowers have got to have their own space.”

People buy flower arrangements for birthdays, anniversaries or just because, said Reihman.

She hadn’t had a chance to design for a funeral during her first two weeks in business, but she likes designing for funerals. She can sit with the families and find out what the deceased were like. She can fit their personalities into the arrangements.

If families bring items to her, she can incorporate them into the designs. “It’s personalized,” said Reihman. “I believe in that.”

Reihman also creates ceramic urns, using her own glazes.

Brandt is amazed by his wife’s skills. “I’m not the crafty one,” he said, but she can take anything and turn it into something beautiful.

For people who don’t want to purchase an arrangement, Reihman has what she calls “grab and go” items. Last week she offered tulips from Holland at 10 for $10.

Customers can create their own bouquets with what Reihman has in her cooler. She’ll box them up with baby’s breathe and greenery and maybe a ribbon.

“I always like things to look nice as they’re going out the door,” Reihman said.