Ever fancied starting a floristry business? In this day-in-the-life business case study, the manager and head florist of top London floristry business Drake Algar explains everything from the qualifications you need to get into floristry to managing stock and what to look for in staff for your florist business. The florist network is huge for a vast amount of competition with a number of florists located in each area.

The world of flowers and flora may seem like a beautiful breezy dream, but running and starting a florist business is hard work. Be ready for 5am mornings to find the perfect flowers, low pay for even experienced florists and the need for a good commercial head on you to work out where the profits are in floristry.

Video on the floristry business!

Florists design, create and sell flower arrangements, bouquets and wreaths. They may also sell cut and pressed flowers, pot plants and artificial flowers. A number of florists have also branched out into gifts and balloons, as well as decorations. The duties of a florist include:

• Designing & Creating bouquets, wreaths and displays
• Working to customers requests and suggestions
• Flowers Care & Upkeep of fresh flowers
• Dealing with customers over the phone and in person
• Helping customers choose suitable plants and flowers
• Keeping Stock Amount & Display of Shop
• Advising customers how to look after the flowers or plants they have just bought.

The majority of florists work in shops, however in some towns and cities they may instead work at a stall. In either case, florists will spend most of their time on their feet, either at a counter with customers, or at a workbench where flower arrangements are made. The florist does more than simply sell flowers. They design and create floral arrangements of bouquets, baskets, wreaths, tributes, and centerpieces. Often using dried and artificial flowers as well as fresh cut, the florist's work is highly artistic. Gifts and celebratory decorations, pot plants and vases can also be found in the florists.

A number of well known florist can be found at:
http://www.masterflorist.com/
http://www.goodfloristguide.com

To become a florist you must be able to express yourself creatively and utilise the shape, colour, texture, form and strength of flowers to create innovative floral designs. You will need an understanding of the qualities and care required for the different varieties of plants and flowers, and should be able to convey your ideas effectively to customers. You must be able to establish good lines of communication between yourself and customers so that a working relationship can be formed that is to the benefit and ease of both parties.

A hand tied bouquet is much easier to create than many people would assume,Ideal foliage and filler to start create a bouquet includes: eucalyptus; ruscus, ivy; bear grass; solidago; euphorbia; leatherleaf, palm, hosta; begonia leaves; asparagus fern.

Materials:
Four stems of filler i.e. solidago
One stem of Asiatic lily
Three stems of spray chrysanthemums
Three stems of alstomeria 
Bunch of spray carnations
Foliage i.e. plam leaves or similar such as fern
Binding cord
Tape
Ribbon and cellophane

Method:

•  Lay out the flowers, foliage and filler!
• Cut string to tie the bouquet and make a bow!
• Take the Asiatic lily and a piece of filler and place them together to create a focal point!
• Start adding filler i.e. solidago, in a clockwise direction at an angle. Hold the bouquet lightly in one hand so that the materials are supported between the thumb and the forefinger
• Place three sections of spray chrysanthemums in a clockwise direction at an angle while at all times holding the bouquet lightly in your hand and keeping the stems going in the same direction. This is tricky but practice does make perfect in this case!
• Add more filler in sections and then put in the alstromeria in three equal sections around the bouquet before adding even more filler
• Place the spray carnations in three equal sections while again still holding the bouquet lightly and turning it as you add the materials in at an angle
• Finally add the palm leaf (fill as a “frill” around the bouquet)

Carefully tie it with pre cut string and bind this for added security with tape before cutting the stems to the required height – and at the same level. You can test this by seeing whether the bouquet will stand up by itself.