What is a Florist?
Read the Oxford Dictionary definition and it’s simple … a person who owns or works in a shop that sells flowers and plants or a shop that sells flowers and plants.
Collins add in the all-important word ‘arrange’ to say a florist is a shopkeeper who arranges and sells flowers and sells house plants while Cambridge extend it a bit further by saying what they do is for inside the house.
None of them are wrong but actually none of them are right either and no way on earth really describe what a florist is or does.
What we do know for sure is that being a florist is definitely not playing with flowers, they are never ‘just a florist’ and these days they come in every shape, size and location.
For starters not every florist owns a shop or even works in one. These days there are florists operating from classic bricks and mortar shops to repurposed horse boxes and camper vans, working from studios at their homes or hi spec units on industrial estates.
Not every florist sells plants, but many will sell add on gifts whilst others sell pet supplies and homeware; we even know of a few that have a café as well – mmmm cakes and flowers, the perfect combination.
There is no age rule. We know of 20-year-old florist shop owners and 60+ second career-ers.
There is definitely no sex rule. Yes, most florists are women but many of the top designers are men and there are no barriers to entry. Anyone can become a florist if they have the energy, passion and determination; as our Founder, Caroline Marshall-Foster says here being a florist is not for the faint hearted or anyone wanting to make a fortune!
You see a good florist isn’t just someone who has trained within an inch of their lives so that the design is perfectly made and won’t fall apart but also knows how to source the freshest, longest lasting flowers you can buy.
Then there’s all the other things that being a florist is about.
Like making sure every flower and plant they sell is properly cut and conditioned so it lasts for ages. Being a tech expert, marketing guru, content creator, social media manager and photographer.
It’s about being an accountant, HR expert and knowing how to do a Risk Assessment so your special day isn’t ruined. Understanding Health and Safety rules when working on site and being insured for every eventuality. Oh yes and florists are logistical experts too; forget Dr Who and his Tardis, trust us, a florist can cram more in the boot of a car than anyone!!
Florists just know
When it comes to the actual flowers and plants it’s about knowing which flowers work well together (those beautiful bouquets don’t just happen!) and creating goosebumps with every petal and leaf.
Florists make dreams come true when it’s a special event, have the navigational skills of a sailor to make sure get orders get out on time… often to addresses that have crucial bits missing!
It’s having the mind reading skills of Derren Brown to work out what a man means when he says, ‘thrill her’ and the rescue skills of an emergency service when said man asks for it to happen in the next half hour!
Florists know just when to pass the tissues when a bride sees her bouquet for the first time and are ready to make a cup of tea when someone is ordering funeral flowers. They’ll keep the secret of who sent those beautiful roses at Valentine’s and help a little one write her first Mother’s Day card with a £1 bunch of daffodils.
They’ll know when to pace deliveries to a new mum who doesn’t have time to cope with loads of flowers but they’ll also make sure she knows who sent what so she can say thank you.
They’ll remember the flowers someone had for their wedding and replicate it on every anniversary, and they’ll forget the aching bones and cut fingers when they finally shut the doors on Christmas Eve knowing every delivery has been made and that even when families can’t be together, they are connected through the power of flowers.
Most of all, they’ll be there for EVERY life event and special occasion simply because flowers touch every life event and special occasion.
From cradle to grave, birthday to graduation, anniversary to get well and all the Just Because reasons, local florists are with you every step of the way.
So next time you see a florist please don’t ever think they are just bunging a few flowers in a bouquet … the stuff that goes on behind the beautiful blooms is what makes the magic happen… in each and every petal.
