Roses are red, violets are blue—if that’s the extent of your knowledge of nature’s greenery,
a job in the floral industry may not be for you. But if you know the difference between a
petal and a pistil, if you have an eye for arrangement, and if you don’t sneeze at the mere mention
of magnolias, then FTD wants you. The role of the florist is one of creating a more pleasant,
beautiful place to live. Think about it. Almost every occasion provides an excuse to fill the
room with flowers; these include births, weddings, anniversaries, graduations, holidays, bon
voyages, even Thursdays. Parade floats, pageant winners, and Derby horses are draped in flowers.
Flowers can also brighten sad times and help a person
cope with an illness or loss. So who has the potential to bring
so much pleasure to the world? The florist. Most florists own
their own shops or work in the floral department of grocery stores. Florists don’t just arrange
flowers. Presentation is only half of a florist’s job. That said, to cultivate a regular client base,
florists must be able to arrange skillfully and beautifully dried, artificial, and live flowers into
bouquets or arrangements that suit the tastes and needs of their clients and occasions. They
also have to know how to grow, cut, and clean a flower. Florists in smaller operations may also
need to grow or purchase flowers, do the bookkeeping for the shop, and make deliveries.
Being a florist is not always a bed of roses, though. The week of Valentine’s Day is probably
the most stressful time in the life of a florist (and potentially the most profitable). It’s like the
post office during Christmas. Large weddings (the month of June, in particular) can also be
stressful for some florists. Florists don’t rake in the cash as a rule. Most are in the business
because they love their work; they love flowers and plants; and they love knowing that they’ve
added a little color to someone’s life.
Some community schools offer classes in floral design, but if you really want to be a
florist, you need the heart and hands-on experience. Most florists start off as apprentices in
a flower shop. After years of learning the trade, some move on to open their own shops. The
American Institute of Floral Designers offers aspiring florists the chance to be “Accredited
in Floral Design.” Prospective members must send in pictures of their arrangements and
then do a live showing in front of AIFD judges. The AIFD also offers grants for student
research in the area of floral design. AIFD accreditation gives you a higher standing in the
world of floriculture.
Florists are typically small-business owners. Jobs that require similar skills include party
and wedding designers, gardeners, landscapers, parade consultants, and corporate advisors.