Being a Florist – it’s not just playing with flowers

By Rick Vienneau

 

Being a Florist – it’s not just playing with flowers

 

Being a florist is a delightful profession that involves working with beautiful flowers and creating arrangements to brighten people’s days.

Here are some fun facts about being a florist:

Flower Meanings: Florists often need to be familiar with the language of flowers, known as floriography.  Different flowers convey different meanings, and skilled florists can use this knowledge to create arrangements that send specific messages or emotions.

Seasonal Specialties: Florists work with a variety of flowers throughout the year, and each season brings its own set of blooms. We need to stay updated on seasonal flowers and trends to offer the freshest and most appealing arrangements.

Creativity at Play: Being a florist allows for a great deal of creativity.  Florists get to design unique and visually stunning arrangements, whether it’s for weddings, birthdays, or other special occasions. It’s a job that allows artistic expression. And each flower shop has it’s own personality since each designer has their own personality that comes out in their designs.

Handling Fresh flowers: Florists need to have excellent knowledge of how to care for and handle different types of flowers.  This includes knowing how to condition flowers to ensure they last longer and look their best. I used to work in Floral Wholesale, and I know first-hand that not every flower shop processes and conditions their flowers. This is just one area where McCormick Florist stands out from the others. Our flowers last longer because they are cared for.

Fast-Paced Environment: Especially during the peak seasons like Valentine’s Day and Mother’s Day, florists often find themselves working in a fast-paced and high-pressure environment. The demand for floral arrangements on these occasions can be overwhelming. Trust me, like the title says, it’s not just playing with flowers. These are long, and sometimes thankless days when you have customers that do not understand that the shelves are mostly empty near the end of the day.

People Skills: Florists interact with a wide range of customers, from those seeking a single bouquet to those planning elaborate events like weddings. Good communication and people skills are crucial to understanding customers’ preferences and creating arrangements that meet their expectations. Just like any retail job, you get to deal with the happy customers and the not-so-happy customers. Knowing how to communicate with each is a must as a florist.

Event Collaboration:  Florists often collaborate with other event professionals, such as wedding planners, to create a cohesive visual experience. This collaboration adds an element of teamwork and shared creativity to the job.

Stress Relief: Working with flowers is known to have stress-relieving effects. The colours and fragrances of flowers can contribute to a positive and calming work environment.  Yes, even at Valentine’s Day and Mother’s Day.

Surprising Tools: Florists use a variety of tools beyond the obvious ones like shears and vases. Some unexpected tools include knives, floral foam, wire, and even tape, all of which help in creating and arranging beautiful bouquets.

Continuous Learning: Floristry is an evolving field, with new varieties of flowers and design trends emerging regularly. Florists often engage in continuous learning to stay updated on the latest techniques and styles. At McCormick Florist, we are constantly learning. With my floral wholesale experience, I have found that many flower shops get stuck in their own little bubble, unaware of what is going on outside of their store. McCormick Florist stays ahead of the others with our continuous training and learning.

Being a florist is not just a job; it’s an opportunity to bring joy and beauty into people’s lives through the art of flowers.

 

Give us a call, order online or come by and see how McCormick Florist uses all of this to create stunning flower arrangements and bouquets for your special occasion.

McCormick Florist

Ph: (519) 752-6200

https://www.mccormickflorist.ca

https://www.mccormickflorist.blogspot.com

 



 

 

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