The thing many people don't realise about being a florist is the range of skills you need, which come only from experience over time. Of course natural creativity is the best starting point. Then you must be adept at customer service skills, working efficiently to deadlines, managing staff, money in and out, marketing, shameless self-promotion, superior negotiation skills to your Dutchman and a memory like an elephant help. And that's all before you count on your technical expertise and ever-expanding encyclopedic knowledge of flowers.

And as payment for your skills - the lowest skilled wage in the UK, cold ruined hands, no time off at peaks and people constantly saying 'It must be lovely to work in a flowershop'

Well, yes. It is actually, or we wouldn't do it at all.