When I look back on my training journey, it’s one I wouldn’t change in any way. It’s a pathway I encourage anyone to take. It’s fun, hard work and very rewarding. For me, training is an outlay of creativity while also feeding my constant need to learn something new. After changing career path in 2018, floristry became my passion. I didn’t know what to expect from the floral world, however it has not disappointed.
My first steps into the floral world were quick. I didn’t grow up with a love of flowers. I mean, I liked flowers, but not for one second did I think it would become my passion, my sole income. I wanted to change career to do something creative. I found a floristry course and thought it sounded exciting, total opposite to my current job. I knew I would be starting at the very beginning, but this excited me.
I undertook my Level 2 qualification, which gave me a solid grounding on floral skill. Level 2 is imperative for any florist. The qualification sets you with up with a solid trade, where knowledge can be built up. My Level 2 highlight was watching myself grow passionate about a trade and allowing myself the start of a creative career.
After a short break, I undertook my Level 3 qualification. Level 3 is a true creative space, it allows you to explore more skills, push boundaries and enables you to develop your personal style and explore working methods that interest and excite you. I thoroughly enjoyed my Level 3 and again encourage all to do it. It’s a time to indulge yourself in technique, floral marvel and meet likeminded people!
Level 4 is what I am currently undertaking, and boy it’s amazing! I believe the course is set up for passionate florists, people who truly love the art of flowers in all their glory, from the growing, distributing, creating and selling. It’s a thorough course, which is giving me an advance grounding within the floral world. I am exploring new working methods and allowing my creativity to ‘bloom’ and ideas to ‘grow’. My techniques are developing constantly, and my application is getting strong with every session!
From my own journey, I will encourage any formal floristry training. It’s so important. Floristry is a trade, and we must encourage formal training to prevent the skill becoming a craft. We know how much time florists put into developing their knowledge, ensuring the best skills to offer for their customers, and we should be empowered by this. Many florists will continue to train professionally through their whole career, keeping up to date with the ever-changing market.
Also, being creative, I believe is a communal sport– by this I mean there is no greater influence than your peers, surroundings, teachers and creative stories. Sharing ideas, analysing designs academically and discussing viable business plans is all done within a training programme. Sharing your floral journey is a beautiful thing and being able to hear someone else’s passion for the trade is amazing. I believe my other peers have made me the florist I am, encouraging my confidence and inspiring me with every make they do. I take the motto ‘everyone will teach you something, no matter their journey stage’.
We all know, being a florist, isn’t easy. It’s cold, early mornings and it’s celebrating most peak periods behind a bench or with sore hands and mucky nails. However, we also know, its covered in beautiful blooms, design, friendship and memory-making magic – be it for yourself, the business, or for your clients. It’s a competitive market out there, however there is 100% room for strong floristry skill, passion for the trade and development of new ideas. We work in an everchanging world, be this with bloom development, colour trends or new economics reflecting design. Either way, each challenge ignites our passion to surprise the world with just what we can do. We are there in most life events, hiding behind that beautiful floral display.
The floral journey isn’t easy. It’s a hard skill to master, it takes a lot of patience. It’s hard to take a knock or have a ‘bad creative day’. I believe this comes from our working methods. Everything you make will come from your heart; thus, any knock downs will hurt. Someone is analysing a piece of you. However, you must look at the beauty of all you create, be grateful for that moment. A practice I follow ‘you may not like it but take something from it’.
The world of floristry and academic floral training is not one to be missed. Its dramatic, fun, inspiring and darn right beautiful. …. Especially when you get the heater on for ten minutes!
Hannah Friel is a freelance florist and Floristry Technician at Moreton Morrell College, currently studying Level 4 Floristry at Moreton Morrell, which is part of WCG (Warwickshire Colleges Group).
