Floristry is the art of creating floral arrangements on a professional level. It also includes flower care and handling, as well as flower sales and display, and flower delivery. Although floristry refers to the cultivation, care, and sale of flowers, the floral industry is the driving force behind it. In the floristry industry, there are two types of florists: wholesalers and retailers. Retail florists provide flowers, floral arrangements, and related floristry supplies to consumers, while wholesale florists grow and sell flowers in bulk to retailers.
In order to work as professionals in the floral industry, florists must learn a variety of skills. These abilities include flower arrangement design, fresh flower care and preservation, as well as floral product sales and marketing. Floristry is also known as floral design, and many florists believe that proper flower arrangement is an art form.
Florists benefit from knowledge of flower lore and symbolism in addition to practical skills. This knowledge will be invaluable when designing arrangements for customers in an area populated by people of various cultures. Color meanings, holidays when specific flowers are used, and various floristry styles are all essential knowledge for aspiring florists.
Floral styles differ from one location to the next, but florists must be familiar with the most common styles, especially in their area. High Style, English Garden, and Ikebana are the three most popular floristry styles. High style is characterized by symmetry, negative space, and linear designs, and is most popular in the United States. The English Garden style is popular in England, and it consists of large displays with seasonal and garden flowers that can be viewed from all sides. Ikebana is a Japanese flower arrangement style that features triangular arrangements that emphasize simplicity and beauty.
It is not difficult to break into the field of professional floristry. It is a growing industry in the United States, which has resulted in an increase in demand for trade schools. Many horticulture departments at universities and colleges now offer floristry courses. Floral design workshops are also available in a number of major cities.
Students interested in pursuing a career in floral design can learn from higher education institutions or even an experienced floral retailer. Some florists may be willing to take on an apprentice and teach them the craft without requiring them to complete a formal education. However, the skills learned in these situations may not be sufficient to find work elsewhere.