I am just starting on the ladder to be a professional florist and am not sure where it will take me, but unfortunately like some others can't afford to chuck in my part time job to start form scratch and may well start off at home to begin with. God I'm almost afraid to admit that!!! But it doesn't mean that I want to undercut anyone else or do a crappy job. I wanted to learn properly and get a recognised qualification but up until now the recommended college only took part time students already in the business or full time that could afford to start from scratch neither of which applied to me. I am at the moment trying to come to some arrangement with the course head and am keeping everything crossed that I get on. So spare a thought for those who were too stupid to recognise what they really wanted to do at 18yrs and who are now trying to get there at a more shall we say mature age!