Florist News

No Ali, most of us love our job.. but it is hard work, you have to really love the flowers, or it's not worth the hassle. It's just a lot of people seem to have the impression floristry is an easy job with not much skill required which is far from the truth. The best way to find out if you are cut out for the job would be to try and get a few days work experience in a florist, I'd say even before you enrol on a college course, which might end up being a waste of money if you don't like it.
From my experience a lot of florist shops wouldn't be interested in employing someone 'qualified' with no experience in a shop, so it's a good idea to either work full time in a shop training whilst doing a part time course or arrange to do at least a day a week in a florist as experience while you do a full time course. I wouldn't try until after mothers day now though, most florists are upto their eyes with valentines and mothers day being so close together this year.
Really floristry like most trades. When you start in a shop you will be a trainee for over a year and and your responsbilites will mainly be conditoning flower deliveries (tirimming and stripping flowers) ready for sale in the shop, cleaning buckets and vases, sweeping and mopping the shop etc and preparing things to help the florists like bows and gift wrapping. The same as any other skilled trade you wouldn't be let loose making arrangements and bouquets for some time.

Obviously while you are training you will be on minimum wage. But to be honest floristry is not a well paid job, unlike other trades unfortunately. I wouldn't want to do any other job, I've always loved flowers and been interested in plants etc, but it's much harder work than any other shop based job.
As a trained florist you'll have a very varied job dealing with customers that want flowers for every possible occassion. From bouquets for a new baby to the last gesture a family can make to their loved ones for a funeral. My favourite part of the job is designing wedding flowers for someones special day, and it makes it all worthwhile when customers send you little notes saying how thrilled they were with their flowers. I hope that is a bit more positive for you, good luck with whatever you decide.

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Sarah Creating Bespoke Wedding Flowers Cheshire

Agree with Sos most on here are florists because they love working with flowers and enjoy the creativity but the negative responses are all true it is cold dirty and low paid long hours at times and at times you do wonder have you a life outside floristry but yes I love it and would never go back to my office job

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Hi Ali
i have done my job floristry now since i was 16 from leaving school i am now 33 and still completly love my job i love everything about it the good and the bad
The Goods- its creative never have 2 of the same i feel like a a top designer when i get the comments on my vase displays, i have a saying in my shop when we have lots of impulsive buys outside we go into play mode we experiment and see what happens its worked well on my trainee she really gets stuck in and comes up with ideas
other goods- when you get a call from a very happy customer and they say your just fab
The look on someones face when your stood holding a designer bq on thier door step

The Bads - yer all the usalls cold wet and damp all the time but summers so much nicer apart from keeping the fowers cool so they don't blow open
the nerves on a wedding day have you got enough flowers, can you get it all done for the said time, is the bride going to love the bouquet you have designed or is she going to hate it arrrrrr this also gos for mothers day and valentines, but the also bad point is the pay you are really lucky to make good money from floristry -

but unlike some thats not what i am about i just love being my own boss and i am happy to come home with £85.00 a week!!!!!! well i wouldn't mind a bit more but thats me not out to make a ton opf money just out to do what i love

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I have actually changed career from a clinical psychologist to floristry...and yes it is a fantastic job to do, creative, get to work with great materials, meet people etc...

I am just about to complete my BA (Hons) in Floristry Design and my family already have a long established business. I think what people here are trying to get accross to you is the sheer determination and passion for the job that keeps us doing what we do despite of all the crappy bits!!

You really have to be very sure you want to go into this line of work. As has already been mentionned it would be very prudent for you to perhaps volunteer at a local florist shop (weekends in particular) to see exactly what goes on. I suggest weekends as generally they are the hardest. If you find you survive this and still come out the other end enjoying the time you have spent then go for it!!

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FAUN TO BE WILD...!!!

And welcome to the forum.

I love working as a florist. I have done my first year at college and just need to complete my 2nd year starting in September, but luckily enough to have a great job working with a lovely boss, and now we are great friends.

There is alot to learn, and it is an expensive course and you may have to pay for flowers every week like I did. Uhmmm I have horrible hands, crappy nails and really sore chillblanes on my toe toes. However I do love it and you can get alot of pride creating with the best flowers, and seeing the customers face light up.

Go for it, you can but try, I guess you will never truely know until you start..

Bel x

UMMMMM GOOD POINTS,
1,FLOWERS ARE LOVELY...(thats me done) i will leave it up to some one else to come up with point number 2 onwards,im all out of good points now.

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seldom rong!!!!

We LOVE all our customers, especially the ones on a budget.

I am correcting you I'm doing City & guilds level 2 and i never did level 1

one thing i do agree on that it's not a cheap course to be on when your spend at least £20 a week on flowers

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Agree with you MM when I did mine many moons ago I started at Level 2 depends on your education/experience what level you go in at (I think)

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