Florist News

Hi all,

My question is to all you student's out there.

I am in a year one of a two year NVQ Lvl 2 course at college. I started last September.

My question is, how much do you spend on flowers and foliage a week?

I have found one wholesaler near to me, but the problem being that you can only buy in big bunches, when sometimes all I want is a few flowers of each, so recently I have started going to a local Florist, but even now with the foliage I almost spend £30 a week, that is without the bill you get at the end of the month for the cost of the oasis etc... and at the moment we are covering funeral work, so I just bring it home and it get's wasted and left in the garden.

I have wanted to do this since I was a little girl, and now my children are growing up I really want to get out there and do this as a job as I enjoy it sooo much, but I am finding all the expense so difficult, it was over £700 for the course which took me 2 years to save, and I have to pay for the collge nursery place £30 a week for my little girl, it did say flowers an addition cost, but I guess I didn't really think how much it would cost.

Wish I could grow my own flowers :-)

I've tried since September to get a floristry job and even offered myself for free so that I can just gain experience, infact the Florist's around here must be getting fed up with me, but it seem's everyone else wants the job's too and there is a shortage.

I'm beginning to wonder if this will ever work :-(

Belinda

HI

I'm doing Advanced Floristry at the moment.
When I did the first two years I was in the same boat as you - I found a friendly wholesaler and asked all the other students to order through me, and together we managed to keep the costs down and still have the flowers we wanted to work with. I did find that a lot of wholesalers would not sell to me as an individual. You could try talking to the florist shop you currently buy from to see if they could help, if you can build relations with them perhaps you might beable to get some work experience at some point going forward.

Thankyou Dragonfly for your kind reply.

I'll try pluck up the courage to have a word with them this Wednesday, will be an expensive week as I have an exam, double ended spray.

Thankyou

Belinda

On reflection - Some colleges have funds to assist students who are in dificulty - you could try talking to them.

To be honest the amount you are spending is about average - but do think about the suggestions.

What area are you in - maybe there is someone in the forum who could help ?

I'm in Andover, Hampshire.

I've tried Salisbury, Winchester, Newbury, Romsey for a job, I write lots of letters and go in, but It seem's all the jobs are all taken.

Alot of people on my course do have jobs in shops and so getting the extra practice, and I allways think there work is better than mine :-( although the tutor says I'm doing well. Of course I could practice at home, but by the time I've paid out on flowers on the Thursday I can't afford any more.

I guess i'm just on a downer about it all, but I have to stick at it as it's my dream, I'm so happy when I'm doing it, but I'm beginning to think I'll run out of money for it all, it is a struggle.

Belinda

Now listen to me young lady - you can practice wireing on a dandylion if you have to !!!!!!!!!!!

Seriously I know its hard, but nobody said dreams come easy, and I know what it is like at the stage you are at watching your class mates throw a handtied together because they have had more practice - don't get dishearted, listen to your tutor they know what they are talking about.
There will always be someone you think is better than you thats just because you like what they do - you can take some ideas away for yourself, it may be the way they have used the bear grass or added some beads or even the placement of the flora. I have yet to see a truly original florist and I think if you asked them I think their answer would be that they have all seen someone else do it before - liked the idea - and adapted it for themselves. Time will come when someone will want to buy a piece of work you have done because they appreciate your work.

Hang on in there - you can have a moan with me anytime you like.

Thanks very much for all the advice.

I know dreams don't come easy, it wasn't easy desperate to do the course and waiting the 2 years to save up for it

Like I said I guess i'm just a bit down in the dump's and at the difficult stage of thinking am I really going to be good at this and worrying that I'm wasting alot of money if I'm not. I't certainly don't help having a nagging husband that really has no clue of the price of flower's so never believe's I need to spend that much each week.

But it is my dream and I will carry on thanks so much for the chat, do feel better for it.

Take care

Belinda

you have done really well to get where you are - your dedication is evident from saving up for two years.
Hubbies can be a pain but unfortunatly we have to live with them.

I understand that you want to create the best you can with your flowers and dont tell anyone I said this but have you thought about buying from the supermarkets - some of them sell off cheap in the evenings and in all honesty your flowers only need to last the evening whilst you on the course

After 6 mths on the course the tutor will have a good idea of your capabilities - talk to her/him - all you need is abit of TLC.

I wish you all the best - Let me know how the double ended spray workes out.

You can do it !!!!!!!

Hi Belinda an Dragonfly

I started last Sept of a 2 year course, what you spend on flowers per week for college seems rather expensive to me. My college, Capel Manor in London is a land based college I think it's called and it sells the flowers to us each week from it's florisrty shop. An expensive week would be £20 and everyone moans, but it has been as cheap as £11. This includes our oasis and foliage. Dragonfly definitely has the right idea about trying to get everyone involved in bulk buying and I'm sure the other students will be pleased that someone can do it for them.

Do hang in there and carry on, if you saved hard for so long to do the course see it through. I'm starting my first day of work experience on Weds so should be fun.

Good luck with your assessment of the double ended spray. On my course we are assessed on a single ended. I don't know how the courses can be so different. What written assignments have you had yet.

Hi Belinda

I've had 2 written assignments, The colour Wheel, and Light & Colour. Assessments in class have been buttonhole, gift wraped bouquet, tied funeral sheaf, hostess bouquet and group textured posy. What is the name of your course, mines City & Guilds level 2.