Everything’s coming up Roses this week for one Wisconsin woman: she’s a Manitowoc florist in Pasadena to help put the finishing touches on many of the floats entered in the Tournament of Roses parade on New Year’s Day. Diana Dreger is in her fifth year of working on the floats, which use hundreds of flower varieties. “The orchids is one variety which just blows me away with how many we use, and how beautiful they are,” Dreger told WOMT. “It’s amazing. I haven’t lost the wonder of it all, that’s for sure.”
Dreger said float construction takes place in two large buildings, with scaffolding helping florists reach their work. “There are fourteen florists in this building, among hundreds and actually thousands of volunteers who do all the gluing of the little seeds and leaves. A florist’s job is more like putting the icing on the cake. It’s like doing fresh arrangements on the floats.”
This year is a little more special for Dreger. The UW Badgers are in the Rose Bowl, and she’ll be attending the game for the first time. Dreger volunteered for her first year as a float builder and has been invited back every year since. She owns the Flower Gallery in downtown Manitowoc.
Damon Ryan, WOMT