There are a number of things you can do to prepare for your floristry course. To be a good florist, and stand out, you will need to develop the ability to think synoptically, and be able to see how everything we study links together. Floristry is not just about learning a skill or trade, it is about dealing with and managing people’s emotions and expectations, getting into somebody’s head and making their vision, their dream, become a reality.

There are many different avenues you can go down for a career in floristry and throughout your course, you will have the opportunity to meet and engage with professionals from various areas to help you decide which route you would like to follow.

Task: create an inspiration sheet

This can be presented however you want it to be! It could be a mood board or a scrap book produced by hand or you could produce it electronically. There is no rule on how much or how little you produce – it is just a flavour of what has inspired you to be on the course! Write down anything that has inspired you to start a floristry course at Reaseheath.

• It could be that you have always been interested, an event or occasion may have made you more aware of flowers e.g. a wedding, funeral, trip to a flower show or attending a course
• Maybe you’re looking for a career change, being made redundant and looking for a new direction, finishing school or just wanting to try something different
• Do you have any images to support this inspiration?

Bring this with you when you start in September.

Websites/Apps

British Flower Association (BFA) website – explains the British florist industry and what it is doing to promote British floristry and florists. Visit the website for details of how to join the BFA as a student and to receive regular updates.

Brush up on your flower and plant identification skills – go out for a walk or into the garden, see how many plants and flowers you know the names of. Look up the Latin/Botanical name for the flowers and plants you’ve found. There is a free app called PlantSnap which may help you with this.

Books

Please do not feel you have to buy these – many are available second hand on eBay, Amazon or at Charity Shops. They are also available from libraries and you will be able to access them from the college library when you start your course. The following books will be of benefit to you on your course.

• The Professional Florists’ Manual, by Lynda Owen
• Cut Flowers: A Practical Guide to their Selection and Care, by Su Whale
• Cut Foliage: A Practical Guide to it’s Selection and Care, by Su Whale
• The Indoor Plant and Flower Expert, by Dr D G Hessayon

Research:

There are some interesting clips which will give you an understanding of the amazing journey the flowers in our shops have undertaken:

• An Army of Marching Flowers (BBC iPlayer) – this will show you several snippets of information showing the fascinating way our flowers travel. A short view which is really interesting
• Aalsmeer Flower Auction Fights the Clock – The New York Times – this is a snippet of life at the auctions and how it may or may not change to suit the economy
• Instagram – just search flowers and decide which styles and/or designers you like. Remember, floristry is an art and opinions are personal – we don’t all have to like the same things
• Look up Gregor Lersch, his philosophy of floral design will play a major part in your assignments and an understanding/appreciation of his work will be of benefit to you throughout the course
• There is a series on Netflix, The Big Flower Fight, which we believe is a floristry/horticultural version of The Bake Off

RHS Flower Shows

Whilst they are not open this year, you can research online to see inspiring exhibits from previous years. We usually have a presence at the RHS Tatton Show where we have twice won the RHS Tatton Floristry College of the Year as well as many medals over the years including several Gold. We have also successfully competed at RHS Chelsea gaining Silver Gilt, Silver and Bronze medals.