Florist News

ok so i am relatively new to this industry but having been in the service industry for the past 10 years i feel i am justified in my rant!
i went to the local crematorium at the weekend to look at some floral tributes that we did for several funerals that took place at the end of last week, the only time i have ever looked at the flowers there has been when i have attended a funeral so never really took any notice of the tributes before. anyway looking at most of the work that had been produced i was both mortified and disheartened, mortified because easily 90% of the work there was gappy, un balanced, badly constructed, and totally un inspiring, and disheartened because our work is only ever sent out if i am totally happy with 1) the shape 2) the texture, 3) the total look of the piece. why then are there florists out there happy to provide second rate work? i love my job and wish we would be busier but after only 2 1/2 months of being open i shouldnt complain. my question is not directed at you guys because i know that you all have a sense of pride in your work, (which is why were all on here) do any of you ever see work that almost embarrases you as a florist??

__________________

Are you kidding....someone posted a picture on here of a tribute that they had photographed, (when they had delivered their own work), of a spray where you could see the entire block of oasis with a few cars and a bit of filler......it was .........amazing!!! That anyone could think that this tribute was acceptable speaks volumes of the state of the floristry industry.

Anyone can open a shop and set themselves up as a florist...there is no control............

__________________
ANYONE WHO BELIEVES THAT MEN ARE THE EQUAL OF WOMEN HAS NEVER SEEN A MAN TRYING TO WRAP CHRISTMAS PRESENTS.(anon)

i did see that picture !! and thought that those kinds of things were few and far between, but no i saw with my very own eyes that there is so much out there.
i dont want to tread on any toes mardy but i opened a shop with no previous floristry experience except for a 1 day course, i did however have a hair salon and was more than aware of the risks involved. i love my job and am glad i made the change, but i also have a great sense of pride in EVERY piece of work that i produce. that is where i differ from the fly by nights with more money than sence, whos husbands (or wives) try to humour them by buying them a nice little flower shop to occupy their days. like i said i love my job and feel passionately about it maybe thats why it annoys me so much to see people taking advantage of grief.

__________________

Steven its not just funeral work. We have seen hideous h/t's and arrangements that have been done by other florists and wouldn't even dream of sending anything out like that.

At the end of the day its your reputation on the line. You only get repeat business if the customer thinks you are worth it.

__________________



LilyLady

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year

from all at
Lily's Floral Design

Sorry if I appear rude, but I have to ask, who produces the work you send out from your shop.

__________________
ANYONE WHO BELIEVES THAT MEN ARE THE EQUAL OF WOMEN HAS NEVER SEEN A MAN TRYING TO WRAP CHRISTMAS PRESENTS.(anon)

It's horrifying, some of the work that is sent out.

I think Europe has the right approach where formal training and apprenticeships are compulsory before opening a florists.

Your work is very good Steven. Having only done a 1 day course, would you confidently take on anything or would you turn people away if you didn't think you were up to it? It's one thing to take pride in your work, and know what good work looks like; it's another to try your best at something you don't know how to do. Just curious!

__________________

well answering the first question to mardy i do all of the floral work, and jake if someone came in and asked for something very challenging then i would only do it if i thought i could, but its like the dog i did for the funeral(there is a pic in my album) that was the first time i had massed or worked with any kind of oasis shape, which i had to sculpt into the right form anyway! so i feel quite confident that i could produce most things asked of me? and the best thing is if i ever feel unconfident i have you guys to offer great advise and techniques.
ps mardy if i sounded aloof it was unintended, sorry x

__________________

I worked for a florist who had no fromal training at all and is one of the most talented florists I know. What she has got is amazing natural talent and eye for detail.
I thinks some of the awful tributes you see at funerals are home made but definitely not all of them. I always think how pleased my customers must be that they choose us to do their tribute, when they see the rubbish tributes. At least they make the good work look even better. What I dont understand is how they keep going, especially when times are so hard even for good florists,

most def...i am new to floristry too, 4 years in total including college, and i look at some (especially funeral) work and think i did better at college. thing with funeral work is some florists send it out half dead cos they don't think it matters-this i find really sad. I know we all need to make a profit, but hey!! i can remember doing work experience and i made this massed heart and the flowers the owner asked me to use had been sitting there best part of two weeks!!! made me feel really bad and i looked at this florist in a completely different way....I didn't stay there long!!!

__________________
Karen x

Hello i agree with everything you said steven ive been a florist for 16 years and its taken me 10 years to get a shop that felt right and for me and i wont let anything go out the shop without it being perfect everytime and all the finishing touches are what counts too. I ve seen terrible pieces of work on show to the public. Its just awful and embarrassing for the qualifed professionals.
All my work is done on recommendation which says alot x
My website is flowerswithflair.org if you want to have a look at mine x