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How to become a Florist

Florist

Career progression and salary expectations for a Florist

1

Junior Florist

| Up to £14,000
2

Florist

| Up to £24,000
3

Store Manager

| Up to £30,000

The role of a Florist

Roses are red, violets are blue. Something about being a Florist (which is clever, and rhymes)…

Florists design, construct, and sell flower arrangements, using their imagination and artistic skills to come up with the most beautiful and creative displays for their customers.

Their skills are needed for a variety of different occasions, ranging from birthdays, weddings and anniversaries through to retirements and bereavements. They may also create flower displays for special functions and events.

Typical duties for a Florist could include:

  • Selecting and ordering flowers for their displays
  • Designing and assembling bouquets, wreaths and flower arrangements
  • Serving customers, and helping them choose their products
  • Educating people on how to care for their flowers
  • Taking online/phone orders, and making deliveries
  • Setting up displays at events
You’ll need a real interest in plants and flowers, not to mention creative flair and design skills, in order to become a Florist.Generally, you’ll be dealing with members of the general public, making excellent customer service skills similarly essential. And, contrary to popular belief, the job can also be quite physically demanding at times. Especially when transporting flowers and displays back and forth all day.

N.B. Those suffering from severe cases of hay fever need not apply…

Other key skills for a Florist include:

  • A good sense of colour, and shape
  • Knowledge of seasonality and a flower’s lifespan
  • Excellent practical skills
  • Natural business acumen and understanding of USP
  • Tact, empathy and sincerity
  • Good time management, and the ability to work under pressure
"Being a Florist probably isn’t anything like what you’d expect – you know, all dainty and delicate. I get up at the crack of dawn three or four times a week to go to flower markets and pick up new stock, driving an hour or so each way to get the freshest possible products. Then I load it all in the van on my own, before I drive back and open the shop to start the day, putting together new arrangements and delivering them all over. It’s pretty exhausting, but when you get back to a beautiful shop bursting with flowers, it’s pretty much unbeatable. Just don’t be scared to get your hands dirty. Literally."

Get qualified as a Florist

All Florist jobs
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