Florist

Job overview
Florists sell flowers and plants.

They design bouquets, garlands, shoulder sprays and sheaves of flowers.

They give advice on the correct way of handling flowers and plants and how to care for them.

They organise the decoration of churches and halls for weddings, conferences and other gatherings and festivities.

What do people do in this job?
Florists take orders for bouquets and plants over the counter or by telephone.

If necessary they help the client to choose the right type and colour of flowers.

Later in the day they go through all the orders for the following day to secure the right amount and type of flowers from the wholesale floriculturist.

The flowers are delivered to the shop early the next morning and the florist starts by treating them.

The flower stems are shortened and placed in cold water.

Some flowers like chrysanthemums are placed in boiling water for 30 seconds and then put into cold water. ?This ensures that air bubbles are released from the stems and water absorbency is more effective.

The thorns of roses are stripped off as well as excess leaves and damaged flowers.

Florists usually deliver bouquets and it is their responsibility to see to it that the orders are being delivered at the right time and place.

They must ensure that the shop has sufficient stock of pots, ribbons, baskets, ornaments and cards.

A variety of pottery, pots and glass vases are available for special orders.

Florists themselves usually handle all management tasks.

They send out the accounts and write invoices for all the orders.

They can either do the bookkeeping themselves or get a bookkeeper to do it for them.

Florists sometimes receive and send orders world-wide.

What kinds of people are suitable for this job?
A love and interest in flowers and plants, creativity and an artistic eye for colour are obvious advantages, but for the business to be successful florists need to have considerable commercial acumen.

What qualifications are needed?
There are no formal qualifications