There's a moment just before dawn, as I'm selecting the day's blooms from my garden, when I understand completely why so many people dream of becoming florists. The morning light kisses the petals, the air carries that indescribable scent of dew-fresh flowers, and everything feels possible. It's these moments that draw people to our craft—but it's the thousands of less glamorous moments that determine who stays.
The Romance vs. Reality
Social media has painted an enchanting picture of the florist's life: surrounded by beautiful blooms, creating stunning arrangements, and bringing joy to people's special moments. While these elements are genuinely part of our world, they're merely the visible blossoms of much deeper roots.
The Hidden Gardens of Experience
When you receive a perfectly crafted bouquet, you're holding years of accumulated knowledge in your hands. Behind each stem placement lies an understanding of:
How different flowers behave throughout their vase life
Which blooms are entering their peak season
How today's weather will affect both the flowers' longevity and your clients' events
The intricate dance of ordering just enough—but not too much—to meet the week's needs
Beyond the Pristine Instagram Posts
The reality of floristry often surprises newcomers to our industry. Those beautifully manicured hands you see in social media posts? They don't last long in this profession. Our hands tell stories of early morning market runs, countless stem strips, and hours of conditioning flowers. They're working hands, proud hands, hands that know the weight of a full bucket of water and the gentle touch needed to coax a tight rose bud open.
Standing the Test of Time (Literally)
The physical demands of floristry catch many by surprise. We stand for hours, often in cool rooms to preserve our blooms. During wedding season, fourteen-hour days aren't uncommon. Summer brings its own challenges—while others seek shade, we're monitoring our greenhouse temperatures, adjusting irrigation, and ensuring our growing flowers survive the heat.
The True Calendar of a Florist
Our work rhythm follows nature's clock, not standard business hours. When you grow your own flowers, as I do, you're up before sunrise checking the day's harvest. During extreme weather, you might find yourself in the garden at midnight, protecting delicate blooms from an unexpected frost or securing shade cloths before a heatwave.
The Mathematics Behind the Magic
Few realise that successful floristry requires sharp business acumen. We're constantly calculating:
How many stems we need to order
Which flowers will be at their peak for upcoming events
How to price our work to reflect both the physical products and years of expertise
How to manage waste in a business dealing with perishable materials
A Labour of Love, Indeed
For those of us who have dedicated our lives to this craft, floristry isn't just a job—it's a vocation. It's knowing that every season brings different challenges and opportunities. It's understanding that some days will be spent creating breathtaking installations, while others will be devoted to cleaning buckets and maintaining our tools.
The True Reward
The most beautiful arrangements aren't just about the flowers—they're about the knowledge behind their selection, the understanding of how they'll evolve over time, and the ability to create something that surpasses the sum of its parts. This comes not from a few years of practice, but from seasons upon seasons of working with nature's rhythms.
To those dreaming of becoming florists, I say: welcome to this beautiful world. But come prepared for the reality that the most stunning blooms often grow from the most challenging soil. The path of a florist isn't just about arranging beautiful flowers—it's about dedicating yourself to understanding them, caring for them, and sometimes, struggling alongside them.
The romance isn't in the perfect final photograph—it's in the journey of becoming someone who can create that moment, time and time again, through every season and challenge. That's the true beauty of floristry.