8 Principles of Floral Design
A bucket shop has an even narrower focus. It provides only cut fl owers,
either singly (by the stem) or in bunches. Premade fl oral bouquets of cut
fl owers for cash-and-carry sales are common. Monofl oral bunches (one type
of fl ower only) or mixed fl owers are bundled, then wrapped in decorative
sleeves and placed into display buckets for immediate selection. The items
are designed to sell quickly and be carried away by customers. Supermarkets
and grocery stores can easily display these types of bundles within their
existing fl oor space along with their regular merchandise.
Specialty shops are fl ower shops that specialize in one particular aspect
of the fl oriculture industry. Examples include wedding fl orists and caterers.
Because specialty shops offer career opportunities unique to their individual
focus, they will be addressed later in this chapter. This section concentrates
on careers that are common to most retail fl ower shops.
Owner or Manager
If you are creative and enjoy fl owers, you may want to consider
becoming a fl orist and owning or managing your own full-service retail
fl ower shop, Figure 1-6. The term fl orist is used for any business that sells
fl owers, plants, and related supplies, but it also refers to the owner, manager,
or employee of these shops. Day-to-day duties of a fl orist include:
• Helping customers choose the right fl owers for a particular occasion.
• Creating bouquets and personalized designs for individual customers.
• Selecting fl owers according to freshness, seasonality, and appearance
for decoration and displays.
• Conditioning fl owers on arrival, and periodically to ensure freshness.
Pro Tip
Create a name for
your flower shop that
describes your specialty.
For instance, names for
an eco-friendly florist
could include the word
“green.”
bikeriderlondon/Shutterstock.com
Figure 1-6. Some horticultural enterprises have fl oral departments as well as a nursery department that
sells potted plants and garden supplies. Employees working in such a place must be knowledgeable in
fl oral design, maintaining potted plants, and planting annuals or perennials in a garden.