Robert Hamley

Popular Flower Preservation Tips and Techniques

A former New York State judge, Robert Hamley holds retired status with the New York State Magistrates Association. Robert Hamley is a successful entrepreneur and creator of Forever Flowers, a flower preservation kit that has been featured on QVC and HSN shopping channels.

Flowers are a meaningful way to commemorate special occasions such as weddings, proms, births, and deaths. To preserve the flowers and the memories they represent, several methods are popular, and a few tips can make the process more effective.

First, if you are picking flowers to preserve, gather them in the late morning when they are fully hydrated but not dripping with dew, as excess moisture can create mold during the preservation process. Hanging or pressing flowers is a simple way to preserve their beauty; to press, simply lay the flowers between pages of a heavy book or in a flower press and wait several weeks.

Chemical preservation using glycerin replaces the water in plant material with glycerin and is a durable, long-lasting method. After mixing one part glycerin to two parts water and submerging the plant, hang it upside down for several weeks. While hanging, the glycerin will continue to travel throughout the plant.

An Overview and Brief History of St. Benedict’s Preparatory School

Robert Hamley is the owner of Forever Flowers, a New York City-based provider of floral preservation kits. Before beginning his career, Robert Hamley graduated from St. Benedict’s Preparatory School, a Newark, New Jersey, institution that recently inducted him into its hall of fame.

St. Benedict’s Preparatory School has a long record of providing a quality, well-rounded education to young people from Newark and nearby communities. The history of the institution dates back to the 1850s, when Benedictine monks arrived in the city to find a working-class Catholic community in need of a dedicated school. In response, the monks established St. Benedict’s College, which began welcoming students in 1868.

St. Benedict’s offered both college and college-preparatory courses for the better part of its first five decades. However, upon recognizing a greater demand for the college prep classes, the school eliminated its college-level courses in 1917, and assumed its current name.

Since then, St. Benedict’s has expanded its focus. Along with continuing to educate male students in its preparatory division, it now maintains elementary and middle divisions for both girls and boys. The success of the school, which is operated by the same abbey of monks that founded it in 1868, is seen in its graduates, 98 percent of whom go on to attend college. This is an especially impressive rate in a city where only 12 percent of adults possess a college degree.

Innovative Product Extends the Shelf Life of Flowers

Inventor and businessman Robert Hamley founded Forever Flowers to market his patented innovation–a floral preservative kit that extends the shelf life of flowers and preserves their color and scent. Robert Hamley’s invention is sold globally through the Home Shopping Network and QVC.

Flowers can be meaningful gifts for various occasions. However, cut flowers have short lifespans and typically die after several days. Over the years, efforts have been made to develop solutions to this problem: Various approaches to flower preservation–such as hand drying, freeze-drying, the use of silica gel, and spraying of preservative mixtures–have been attempted. However, none of these methods have succeeded in extending the shelf life of flowers.

Mr. Hamley’s product succeeds where others have failed, by using low-temperature paraffin and saccharides as floral nutrients and preservatives. The low-temperature paraffin is heated to 130 degrees Fahrenheit until it is liquefied. Then, the saccharide is added–and in some cases, colored dyes and scents are added as well.

The head of the flower is then dipped into this mixture for three seconds, after which the flower is allowed to dry. The dried flower can be used immediately, or can be left to hang upside down for up to three weeks to further prolong its shelf life. Floral paint may also be sprayed on the flower to add shine, and to ensure that the color of the flower remains realistic.

Mr. Hamley’s invention was granted a patent on November 22, 2005, and has been sold on television for seven years.

Getting Products on QVC or HSN

New York resident Robert Hamley is the creator of Forever Flowers, a flower preservative kit. A retired judge, Robert Hamley’s product has been successfully featured on both the Home Shopping Network (HSN) and QVC.

HSN and QVC are popular advertising platforms, but because of airtime constraints, only a few products are featured. However, business owners with a good product can increase their chances of gaining a spot on either of these channels.

If the budget allows, owners should consider hiring a sales representative to sell their products. Brokers have experience in the industry and, while they will charge a commission, they increase the odds that the product gets picked up by either network.

Business owners must provide executives at either channel with a sample of the product to give them a better idea of how the product works. They also must determine a price point. Each network has people assigned to evaluating products; a broker may be most effective in getting the product seen by these contacts.

Product owners have to explain the financials of the product and how it might be advantageous to the networks’ own bottom line. The product should be one that can be easily demonstrated before audiences. Owners also should be prepared to explain its uniqueness, benefits, and mass appeal.