Online Floral Design School

The program goal for the Floral Design program is to gain the knowledge and skills to work as a professional florist or start a floral business.

Upon completion of the program, students will be able to:

• Recognize a long tradition of design styles, and understand how to use design techniques, including the principles of design, the elements of line, form, space, texture, and color, in addition to observing how these design elements and principles work in actual floral arrangements
• Differentiate between major styles of floral design and identify the mechanics and techniques involved in designing arrangements in these styles
• Understand the extensive tradition of design styles and the aspects of design styles in others' interpretive arrangements, and familiarize yourself in how to adapt each design style within your own interpretive work
• Recognize the floral consultant's role in helping brides prepare for their weddings, including pricing techniques, coordinating the attendants with the bride, decorating of the wedding ceremony and reception, and creating bridal bouquets, corsages, hair wreaths, and lapel boutonnieres using various design techniques
• Comprehend the use of traditional and innovative funeral arrangement techniques to fulfill clients' requests for personalized casket sprays and wreaths
• Identify how to successfully create designs in remembrance of the deceased, while presenting appropriate expressions of the feelings of the bereaved, and working within the client's budgets.
• Recognize the bride's wishes, her budget, and your own ideas of what's appropriate, tasteful, and eye-catching
• Comprehend plants varieties for different environments, including designing for commercial and home environments, indoor gardens, care and treatment of potted plants, and the diagnosis and treatment of plant infestation in order to suit clients' requests
• Identify care techniques and uses for artificial flowers, dried flowers, and plants, including using recycling containers in the construction of designs and proper displays, and the benefits of using artificial flowers, dried flowers, and plants in arrangements and wreaths, along with the relationship of floral design to the interior-decorating industry
• Understand the techniques to care for and use artificial flowers, dried flowers, and plants, and their relationship to decorating
• Identifying how to prepare for Christmas traditions by combining fresh and artificial materials, flowers, Christmas plants, and Christmas trees, in addition to using floral wire services
• Identifying how to prepare for the major holidays of Valentine's Day, Easter, Mother's day, Thanksgiving, New Year's Eve, and special occasions, including how to make flowers a part of any festivity, and how to prepare and price gift baskets
• Comprehend different ways to promote flowers during the quieter times of the year by focusing on pleasing smaller groups of customers with gifts and decorations for special events
• Understand how to create customer orders for gifts and decorations at holiday times or special occasions
• Recognize the value of and techniques involved in providing good customer service in a floral design business, including finding the best location, targeting your customers, analyzing your competition, funding sources, insurance, licensing, equipment, supplies, staffing your shop, establishing a business identity, and designing your shop's interior
• Identify common considerations of owning a floral design business, including understanding the roles of growers, suppliers, and wholesalers while having basic business skills that include hiring temporary and contracted help for seasonal fluctuations
• Recognize how effective public relations, advertising, merchandising, location, and shop design can boost the sales of a floral design business
• Understand the basic steps to establish and manage a floral business
• Demonstrate the skills to create floral arrangements for Weddings, Solemn Occasions, and Holidays using fresh flowers, artificial flowers, and plants

The advantages of learning at home; types of study materials; types of examinations; accessing and using the features of our website; determining what kind of learner you are; establishing a study schedule; using study tips; preparing for and taking examinations.

History of floral design; professional opportunities; selling with unique designs; care and handling of cut flowers.

Classification of flowers, plants, and foliage; materials and tools; choosing the right flowers.

Practical Exercise 1

Learning Aid: Bow Package 1

Elements of design: line, space, texture, form, and color; principles of design: composition, scale, and balance.

Descriptions of a variety of design techniques and styles.

Practical Exercise 2.

In-depth discussion of design styles: Ikebana, formal linear, western line, crescent, Mille de Fleur, Biedermeier, and parallel.

In-depth discussion of vegetative, landscape, new convention, abstract, new wave, interpretive, waterfall, and hand-tied.

Practical Exercise 3

Equipment: Floral Designer's Kit

Conducting the bridal consultation; working within a wedding budget; coordinating fabrics with floral design; bridal bouquet design methods and styles; coordinating the attendants with the bride.

Wedding body flowers: corsages, wristlets, hair accessories, wreaths, lapel boutonnieres; decorating for the ceremony; floral arrangements for the reception; head, guest, and buffet tables; floral cake decorations.

The funeral consultation; the variety of arrangements used; history and uses of carnations and roses.

Practical Exercise 4

Learning Aid: Bow Package 2

Selecting the right plant; caring for potted plants; designing commercial and home plant displays; diagnosing and treating common plant problems.

Working with artificial flowers and plants; using dried flowers; creating dried flower displays and potpourri.

Advanced artificial and dried designs; working with dried, wax, and other artificial accessories.

Practical Exercise 5

Traditions; working with evergreens; creating wreaths; working with artificial Christmas materials; poinsettias and their care.

Designs for major holidays: Valentine's Day, Easter, Mother's Day, Thanksgiving and New Year's Eve, innovative party designs and gift baskets.

Promoting and planning for minor holidays; creating holiday theme arrangements; accessory and theme ideas; arrangements for minor holidays: Secretaries' Day, Father's Day, Halloween.

Practical Exercise 6.

Establishing your identity; examining the competition; securing funds; determining location, size, and shop layout; finding and keeping productive employees.

The wholesale market; seasonal availability; purchasing nonfloral items; pricing strategy; security.

Maintaining positive public relations; promoting your business; creating window displays; opening commercial accounts.

Practical Exercise 7.

Final exam project with camera. Exam critiqued by outside industry expert.