Routes into floristry: Where do I train?!
Hello! I'm Alicia from Flourish Sussex Flower School. I founded the school in 2017 and have been lucky enough to welcome many students through our studio doors. We moved to our permanent studio here in Sussex last June and we have created a beautiful space for students to get creative in.
This blog is where I share floristry tricks, tips, inspiration and guidance. I want to share my passion of floristry and hopefully get you to get creative with flowers. I hope you enjoy!
I want to become a florist where do I train?
Making the decision to enter a new industry is so exciting, but can also be fairly daunting. One of the questions I get asked a lot is; ‘Do I need a diploma to become a florist?’ The simplest answer is no, however it does depend what area of floristry you want to go into.
Traditionally florists would either embark on an apprenticeship or go and get a diploma at a college.
Training on the job can give you a great insight into what real floristry is like and how the industry as a whole works. It can give you a good understanding of time management, conditioning, working in a shop and dealing with customers. The down side can be some florists only allow trainees to do the basic jobs, which can be frustrating and not allow a student to progress .
What is a diploma?
Diplomas are set by the City of Guilds. Colleges that offer diplomas usually offer part time or full time courses. Full time can be two days a week for a year or two years for an advanced level three. The courses are structured, students cover all the popular arrangements in floristry. Students learn the techniques and follow traditional rules. Students are assessed and have to take exams throughout the courses.
What are the traditional rules in floristry?
In traditional floristry certain rules of design are taught. This includes working in odd numbers, not putting certain colours together and making sure arrangements on the whole are made in tight shapes. Students arrangements are assessed and need to meet certain criteria in order to pass assessments.
Some view this style of floristry as more traditional and perhaps a little out dated. More and more floral designers are being led by flower movement; leaving the more traditional rules behind.
Often courses that result in diplomas, require students to supply their own flowers. This can be an exciting part of the course, although it can be expensive and sometimes when you are starting out your knowledge of flowers is limited. The combination of expense and limited knowledge can leave students feeling overwhelmed and choosing flowers which are not suitable for the arrangements that they are due to make.
Do I need a diploma to work in the industry?
The simple answer is no. I ran a wedding and event business for eight years and at no point did a client ask me to see my diploma. Clients were much more interested in my portfolio and me as a person, as opposed to my qualifications. Some more traditional florists shops might ask you for a diploma, but it depends what area you want to work in. If you want to start up on your own you definitely do not need a diploma.
What is a Flower School?
A flower school is an education setting dedicated to running bespoke floristry courses. Unlike colleges flower schools tend to leave more traditional methods of floristry at the door and lead students to become designers in their own right. Techniques, skills and business knowledge generally are taught. Courses can be spread throughout the year or in the form of intensive training. No qualifications is issued.
Advantages of flower schools is that they tend to focus on a more modern approach of floristry. Areas such as the business side and social media are covered and students are able to develop their own styles of floristry as opposed to being restricted by assessment criteria.
Do I need to train at all?
There are some very successful floral designers out there who have trained on the job or taught themselves. It is certainly possible to do this. My argument against this would be creating flowers for someones wedding for example can be stressful and often things can be challenging or go wrong. Having training will allow you to deal with these challenges. You can draw on the knowledge that you have learnt and use it to help you navigate through the slightly more tricky aspects of your career.
I believe you can never stop learning so I am definitely in the pro camp for training!
There is no right or wrong way to enter the floristry industry. It is about finding an avenue that you believe will meet your criteria and lifestyle. Open days are a great way to check out if an environment is right for you.
Useful links:
Sharing my Love of Flowers!!
Hello! I'm Alicia from Flourish Sussex Flower School. I founded the school in 2017 and have been lucky enough to welcome many students through our studio doors. We moved to our permanent studio here in Sussex last June and we have created a beautiful space for students to get creative in.
This blog is where I share floristry tricks, tips, inspiration and guidance. I want to share my passion of floristry and hopefully get you to get creative with flowers. I hope you enjoy!
Where do I begin?
This is such an important question. If you have always wondered about flowers, or keep day dreaming about blooms when you are sitting at your desk or at home, you might wonder where might be a good place to start. I am a big believer in reading and purchasing a book. A book can give you an insight into the type of floristry you are drawn too.
Are there different types of floristry?
YES! Floristry is evolving and I believe we are at such an exciting time in the industry. In the past we might of associated floristry with carnations, chrysanthemums, brash colours, odd numbers, cellophane, and although this does still exist in the industry, there is a whole other side to floristry that is a long way from this. At Flourish Sussex Flower School we leave traditional methods at the door and focus on individuals creating their own style of floristry. We want each student to embrace their own creativity and see what they are capable of.
So why a book?
Books give you a wonderful insight into the industry and can show you what the top growers and floral designers create on a daily bases. There are so many books to choose from but I have listed some of my favourites
Cut Flower Garden and A Year in Flowers are by Erin Benzakein Based in the state of Washington, Erin has the most beautiful flower farm. Her Instagram is incredibly inspiring and her books contain valuable information about growing, with some floristry tips too.
The Flower Hunter: by Lucy Hunter. Lucy is one of the top floral designers in the UK. Her work is an example of how as an artist we can bring paintings to life with flowers.
The Flower Fix by Anna Potter. Anna runs Swallows and Damsons, a small florist shop in Sheffiled. But don’t be deceived by the size of the shop, Anna is one of the most successful florists in the country. She is famous for her earthy tones and imaginative Instagram page and her book gives you an insight into her creative brain.
Flower Colour Guide. This is a glorious cut flower guide book that I give my students when they sign up to The Foundation Course. There are many cut flower guide books on the market, but this one has fantastic photography and shows the colour varieties that you can get with each flower.
Flower for Everyday by Florence Kennedy. Florence Kennedy along with her husband run Petalon Flowers. They moved to Cornwall to start a flower farm and this gorgeous book takes you through all the popular displays in floristry.
Open Mornings/Evenings
If you have a few books already and want to know more have a google and find out about some of the flower schools and colleges around you. Open mornings are a great way for you to visit the education setting and meet the teacher and see if it is the environment that is right for you.
A Sneak Peek into our Sussex Studio..........
Nestled beneath the south downs you will find Flourish Sussex Flower School. A floristry school based ten minutes outside of Brighton. The school offers floristry courses n Sussex for complete beginners taster days to professional intensive career courses.
As well as the Brighton floristry courses, Flourish Sussex also offers yearly wreath kits. These beautiful DIY kits are shipped nationwide, offering seasonal, unique designs for people to create their own beautiful wreath at home.
As you enter the studio you are transported into a world of creativity and beauty. Across the wall House of Hackney wallpaper is beautifully presented, along with an array of dried flowers hanging from the ceiling. Around the studio inspiring art work is presented, along with stunning seasonal displays.
Hanging installations, along with with silk dyed ribbons decorate one section of the studio, while a fireplace is left for students to use to display their creations.
The studio also has a separate room used for installations and photography. With photography playing such an important part of floristry it is so important that students become comfortable off and in front of the lens.
The studio is a space of beauty, creativity and inspiration to students. With being so close to the city of Brighton and Hove, but with its surroundings of farmland, sheep and the occasional horse, students will be transported into a world of colour and nature.
We can’t wait to welcome to our studio at Flourish Sussex Flower School.
Sussex Grown
All over Sussex there are flower farms popping up. At the school we continue to show our support for British flowers by using locally grown flowers throughout the year. This year we are delighted that lots of farms are being developed by students who have studied at Flourish Sussex. Today we are highlighting Sidnye Flowers, Pitfields Cutting Garden and Nettlewood Flowers
Buy local, better price, better for the planet.
Buying locally not only reduces your carbon footprint, but I truly believe there is nothing more glorious than walking around a flower farm and selecting the flowers that you are going to work with. If you don't know where your nearest farm is go to flowersofthefarm website and type in your postcode.
Here's some more info about the farms we are highlighting:
Nettlewood Flowers: Sarah is based in Laughton and supplies a lot of London florists. She is in high demand so booking is essential. Her flowers are beautifully delicate, romantic and unique shades. https://www.instagram.com/nettlewoodflowers/
Pitfields Cutting Garden. The super lovely Emma runs Pitfields in Hurstpierpoint. This is a large cutting garden, which is still expanding. Look out for their cafe opening in 2022 and make a day of visiting. https://www.instagram.com/pitfieldbarnflowers/
Sidnye Flowers. Vicki trained with me last year and it is so exciting that she has now launched her own cutting garden. Based at Sidnye Farm in Cuckfield although Vicki only started her garden this year, there is already a huge amount to choose from. Get in contact to arrange a visit or to buy a bucket. https://www.instagram.com/sidnyeflowers/
We are always keen at the school to keep informing our students about growing. One of the best recommendations I can give if you are keen to get growing, is to visit Flower Florets website . Here Erin has a lot of information, books and workshops regarding how to get going.
Watch this space as I will be sharing my interview with Vicki of Sidnye Flowers as she talks all about the successes, challenges and any advice she can give to all you wannabe growers out there.
Enjoy the last few days of July.
Alicia xx
Block Printing & June News
June has arrived. British flowers are in their element showing off in all their glory and I absolutely love it!! To say things have been busy here would be an understatement. At long last my dreams have turned into a reality and I am moving the school into a new permanent premises. This of course is incredibly exciting but a tad daunting. It was used as a gym so I busy transforming the space, waiting to open the doors once again to more flower lovers.
My vision is to create a floral haven. Where people can come and be transported into a creative and beautiful place. That’s the hope anyway!
This month we have also launched our subscription service The Art of Floral Designing. This has also been something that I have been longing to do. I feel like you can never stop learning. Learning new techniques, getting inspired, pushing yourself out of your comfort zone. This is what The Art of Floral Designing is all about. I want all flower lovers to be able to share in my love for this industry. I hope by sharing tutorials, interviews and general advice it will give everyone on going inspiration and education.
This month I really excited to launch our first non floristry based class; block printing. During lockdown the only thing that I was able to do besides looking after my children was to block print. I found it so relaxing and mindful, so I am delighted to share this craft with my students. As part of the day students will begin by pressing flowers, then we will look at block printing. Using traditional Indian wooden blocks, students will get to create beautiful images using an array colour palates. While the art work is drying, guests can enjoy a glass of fizz before framing their pressed flowers and then framing their artwork.
We still have a couple of places left on our block printing class so why not come and join us.
I am looking forward to sharing with you all images of the flowers school which is only twenty minutes from Brighton and forty minutes from London.
Alicia xx