Becoming a florist in London might have been a lifelong dream, something that has always interested you or new career direction you wish to take.

Whatever your interest in becoming a London florist you need a plan on how to achieve your dream.

In this article we will look at the some of the things you need to consider in order to make that dream of being a florist in London a reality.

Get Educated!

It is all about the skills! You need to learn some skills and get some practice.

Now you can go the more traditional route of a taking local further education course and qualification or if you are lucky perhaps an intensive, design orientated private school run by a leading florist.

In London we are blessed with lots of private florist schools teaching their approach to floristry.

Here are two excellent options for getting some formal training.

London Flower School – Inspiration from The Surrounding City

One school where you can learn the art and business of floristry is the London Flower School.

There are classes for the professional florist, or a complete beginners. Students are encourage to think differently about floristry, and develop their own style.

At the London Flower School there are several courses to choose from.

There is the intensive four week career course designed to teach you the floristry business from the ground up or take your existing business to a new level.

There is also a one week course teaching the foundation of flower arranging, a two week course on the basics of floristry before concentrating on events and three one day master courses.

Prices range from £250.00 to £5200.00

McQueens

An internationally known brand, courses at McQueens vary.

There are essentially two categories or courses

Vocation courses for those really wanting to make floristry a career
Experience courses which are much less intensive, a great and fun practical introduction into floristry

Image result for London Flower School.

McQueens vocational course lasts 4 weeks and breaks down into the following

The Basics
Event and Corporate design
Wedding Flowers
Advanced design (week 4)

This course is not for the faint hearted, but for those looking to fast track their learning, immerse themselves amongst the some of the best in the business and emerge 1 month later with a workable portfolio then this is the course for you.

Qualifications for Becoming a Florist In London

If you were looking for a qualification in floristry rather than an intensive course there are options available to you.

The curriculum for qualifications has come a long way with everything from foundation courses, NVQ certificates all the way up to a degree qualification.

In addition there are lots of colleges offering courses.

Two such colleges are Lewisham Southwark College (Lewisham and Southwark College, London, SE4 1UT. 0800 835 545) and Capel Manor (Capel Manor College, Floristry school, 08456 122 122)

Terms start in September so make sure you enroll in enough time.

You can also always search Google in your area with terms like “Floristry courses….<name of town”

Get Some Work Experience or An Internship

You have your education – now how do you go about getting some work experience under your belt?

Research the florists in your local area and make a list of them, get to know what they do and who they do it for, once you feel comfortable make an approach. P

Remember that people like to help and relate to other real people. If you are serious don’t just phone or email.

Make a “brag” folder with your CV, intro letter and photocopies of your work.

Do not spend lots of money on expensive portfolio leave behinds, they will only get filed or worse tossed in the bin.

Remember to dress neatly and casually. A good idea is to dress like employees are dressed never above that level. Look clean and presentable, smile, extend your hand make eye contact and say hello.

Though this may seem old fashioned approach but it is without doubt the only way to make a lasting impression and will stand out.

Make sure you time your visit appropriately, don’t go first thing in the morning when they are busy conditioning the market delivery and organizing the orders.

Use Social Media To Give You An Edge

Social Media –specifically visual social media- is a fantastic way for an aspiring to showcase personal panache and style.

Make sure you have a selection of images on Instagram, Flikr or a blog which gives a broad selection of your work and tastes.

Go wide and outside the box for your inspirations. For instance

Architecture
Fashion
Photography
Food

All of these are all aspects of our day to day lives which will help paint a picture of who you are.

Get rid of anything that distracts from your goal – party images etc.

Know the London Florist Industry And Players

Familiarize yourself with the florist industry – who are the key players, what makes them special and which one turns you on to flowers.

This helps you tune your aesthetic and influences.

Follow some good florist blogs. They are an invaluable source of hints and tips and always advertise vacancies.

Visit your local flower market and network if you have one. In London a must visit is the New Covent Garden Market which is open to the public and every florist in and around London use it.

Becoming a London Florist Summary

The industry is full of incredible characters who have huge amount of love and passion. There is loads inspiration love and passion to be had in this fantastic industry.

Remember these three things