How to Become a Florist

I own my own flower shop, and just about every day of the week some young soul walks in wondering how to become a florist. I know that young girls often dream of owning a flower shop--flowers are pretty, and owning your own store is pretty much The American Dream. But honestly, there's just not room for all these thousands of wannabe florists.


If you really want to learn how to become a florist, you should first consider what the life of a florist is really like. Owning a small business isn't all you dreamed of. Between taxes, rotten customers, and the drudgery of hiring (and occasionally firing) your employees, my shop is often as much of a headache as it is a cash cow. There are slow times (mainly in the dead of winter) and there are times when I want to rip my hair out and move to Mexico.

There are three standard ways of becoming a florist. Your own history with floral design, your ability to shell out large amounts of cash for tuition, and your drive and "stick-to-it-iveness" will determine which of these methods is the best for you.

The most expensive way to get training in floral design is to attend a private floral design school. These are mostly located in big cities, so unless you live in Chicago or Manhattan, you'll probably have to move out of your parent's basement before you can start your training. There's not any financial aid for these private flower design schools, so you can expect to foot the bill all on your own. But the training is hands-on and personalized, and training from a private floral design school looks awesome on a job application.

The least expensive way to show off your flower skills is to take the certification exam in floral design without any formal training. If you have a natural talent for floral design, you may not have to train before you take this test. Most people who try to "test out" without training will fall flat on their faces, but you should give it a go if you have work experience in a flower shop.

The most commonly used method of learning floral design is to take classes at a local community college. Financial aid is available if you need it, and even though your training will take as long as two years, you'll get an associate's degree that certifies you have learned the art of floral design.