Birthday
HydrangeasFrom the outside, a florist's job looks like a dream: surrounded by flowers, pretty wrapping and grateful customers. But every profession has another side. Here's what a florist really does, the pros and cons of the job, the skills you need and how to become a florist if you're seriously considering it. The article draws on the experience of florists working in flower shops.
What does a florist do?
The word "floristry" comes from the Latin flos, "flower". Making bouquets is just the visible part of the job. A typical day in a flower shop includes:
- receiving and processing deliveries: unpacking, stripping leaves and thorns, recutting stems and putting flowers in water;
- looking after the display and the cold room: changing water, washing buckets, removing fading flowers;
- making bouquets and arrangements — to a template or bespoke;
- advising customers, taking orders and wrapping;
- caring for potted plants and, in some shops, event decoration and interior plant design.
Pros and cons at a glance
The pros of being a florist
- Working with beauty. Roses, peonies, lisianthus, alstroemeria and exotic plants — you're surrounded by flowers every day, and it is genuinely inspiring.
- Creativity. Even when working from templates, a florist chooses shades, textures and shapes — and wedding and event work offers even more scope.
- Making people happy. Florists are part of life's happiest moments: proposals, weddings and birthdays.
- A relatively quick start. You don't need a degree — courses and practice are enough to begin.
- The option to work for yourself. Experienced florists open their own studios, work on weddings and events and run workshops.
The cons of being a florist
- Cold and water. Flowers are kept cool and your hands are constantly in cold water. Without protection, skin dries and cracks, and some people develop dermatitis or allergies to plant sap.
- Physical work. Heavy buckets, delivery boxes and long hours on your feet.
- Holiday rushes. Around Valentine's Day, Women's Day and the start of the school year florists work almost non-stop, with huge deliveries and hundreds of bouquets a day.
- Less creativity than you'd think. Much of shop work is routine, and bouquets are often made to set designs.
- Dealing with people. You need patience to advise customers, work to their taste and budget and calmly handle complaints.
- Waste and seasonality. Flowers are perishable, some stock is inevitably written off, and sales depend heavily on the season.
Knowledge and skills a florist needs
- Flower care. How to recut different stems, which flowers drink a lot (hydrangea) and which little (gerbera), and what to keep apart — freshly cut daffodils, for example, release slimy sap and are conditioned separately before joining a bouquet.
- Technique. Spiral bouquet construction, working with floral foam and wrapping.
- Design and colour. Proportion, rhythm and combining shades and textures.
- Potted plants. Basic care, repotting and common problems.
- Sales and service. Finding out the occasion and taste and offering options within the budget.
How to become a florist
- Take a course. Basic floristry courses cover theory and first practice; later you can specialise in weddings, interiors or dried flowers.
- Work as a florist's assistant. The best way to see if the job suits you is from the inside: processing deliveries, caring for flowers, making your first bouquets.
- Build a portfolio. Photograph your work and keep a social media page.
- Choose a direction. A shop, your own studio, weddings, interior plant design or workshops.
Looking after your health as a florist
- Wear thin nitrile gloves for stripping stems and thicker ones for roses.
- Apply a rich hand cream several times a day.
- Dress in layers and wear comfortable, supportive shoes.
- During rushes, schedule breaks for food and rest — holiday burnout is common.
Video about a florist's work
If you love flowers and aren't afraid of hard work, welcome to the profession. For inspiration, browse our selections of the most beautiful bouquets and bouquet photos.
FAQ
Do you need a special degree to become a florist?
No — courses and practice are enough to start, though ongoing learning and experience matter for growth.
How long do floristry courses take?
Basic courses usually last from a few weeks to a few months, depending on the programme.
What's the biggest downside of the job?
Most florists name the cold and constant contact with water, plus the huge workload around holidays.
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Author: Maria Svitlovir
Graduated from Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv, Institute of Biology and Medicine (2001). BSc in Biology, MSc in Horticulture. Writes about plants, works at a garden centre selecting and repotting plants, and contributes to plant reference guides.
