Floristry, flower arranging, floral arrangement, floral design or floral arts is the art of creating flower arrangements in vases, bowls and baskets, or making bouquets and compositions from cut flowers, foliage, herbs, ornamental grasses and other botanical materials. Art refers to a diverse range of Human activities creations and expressions that are appealing to the Senses or Emotions of a human individual A flower, also known as a bloom or Blossom, is the reproductive structure found in Flowering plants (plants of the division Magnoliophyta, also In Botany, a leaf is an above-ground Plant organ specialized for Photosynthesis. A(n herb (ˈhɝb or /ˈɝb/ see pronunciation differences) is a plant that is valued for qualities such as medicinal properties flavor scent or the like Grass is the common word that generally describes Monocotyledonous green Plants The family Gramineae ( Poaceae) are the "true grasses" and include Botany, plant science(s, phytology, or plant biology is a branch of Biology and is the scientific study of plant Life Often the terms "floral design" and "floristry" are considered synonymous. Florists are people who work with flowers and plants, generally at the retail level. The term is not to be confused with floristics. Floristics (from " flora " is a subdomain of Botany and Biogeography that studies distribution and relationships of Plant species over Floristry is also not to be confused with horticulture. Horticulture is the art and science of plant cultivation Horticulturists (or horticuluralists) work and conduct research in the fields of Plant propagation
Floristry is sometimes used as an umbrella term referring to the cultivation of flowers as well as their arrangement, rather than solely to the business of selling them. A flower, also known as a bloom or Blossom, is the reproductive structure found in Flowering plants (plants of the division Magnoliophyta, also However, the floral industry is the basic drive behind floristry. Florist shops, along with online stores are the main flower-only outlets, but supermarkets, garden supply stores and many filling stations also sell flowers. Online shopping is the process consumers go through to purchase products or services over the Internet. Customer divider barjpg|thumb|In supermarkets sellers periodically change prices for classes of goods in response to market conditions rather than negotiating the price of each good A garden centre is a retail firm that sells plants and products related to gardens as its primary business A filling station, fueling station, gas station, service station, petrol station, or gasbar, Retail Outlet
Contents |
The craft and business
The craft of floristry involves various skills. These include selecting flowers that will look good together (based on principles of design or general instinct), knowing how to cut, treat, and arrange flowers and other stock plants so they will remain fresh as long as possible, and (as explained above) selling them, which involves knowledge of customer requirements and expectations. Design is used both as a Noun and a Verb. The term is often tied to the various Applied arts and Engineering (See design disciplines Knowing how to form wreaths, bouquets, corsages, boutonnieres/'buttonholes', artificial arrangements and other more complicated arrangements is also important. A wreath is a ring made of Flowers leaves and sometimes Fruits that can be used as an ornament hanging on a wall or door or resting A boutonnière is a Flower or floral Decoration worn by men typically a single flower or bud Artificial flowers and imitations of natural flowers are sometimes made for scientific purposes (the collection of glass flowers at Harvard University, for example Wreaths can be made out of many different types of flowers and plants, and often include ribbon and artificial product.
The flowers sold in florist shops typically represent the varieties abundantly available in the season but also include blossoms flown in from around the world. Basic varieties include roses, tulips, irises, orchids and lilies. A rose is a perennial flowering Shrub or vine of the Genus Rosa, within the family Rosaceae, that contains over 100 species Tulipa, commonly called tulip, is a Genus of about 150 species of bulbous Flowering plants in the family Liliaceae. Fashion sometimes plays a role in floristry; what is considered the flower that everyone needs to have today can change very quickly.
Some shops also stock gift baskets, fruit, and chocolates as well as flowers, where as some shops will purchase these things only when needed for an order. A gift basket, or fruit basket is typically a Gift that is delivered to the recipient at their home or workplace The term fruit has different meanings dependent on context and the term is not synonymous in Food preparation and Biology. Floral business is seasonal and is heavily influenced by the following holidays and events: Christmas, Valentine's Day, Administrative Professionals' Day, Mothers' Day, All Souls Day, Advent, Easter, weddings and funerals. Valentine's Day or Saint Valentine's Day is a Holiday celebrated on February 14 Administrative Professionals Day formerly known as Secretary's Day is an unofficial Secular Holiday observed on the Wednesday of the last full week Mother's Day is a day honoring Mothers celebrated on various days in many places around the world In Western Christianity, All Souls' Day commemorates the faithful departed. Advent (from the Latin word la ''adventus'' meaning "coming" is a season of the Christian church, the period of expectant waiting and preparation for the Easter ( Greek: Πάσχα Pascha or Pasxa) is the most important religious feast in the Christian Liturgical year. A wedding is the Ceremony in which two people are united in Marriage. A funeral is a Ceremony marking a person's Death. Funerary customs comprise the complex of Beliefs and practices used by a Culture to remember [1] These occasions make up the largest part of the business, with the sale of house plants and home decor being a smaller, but more constant, part. Interior decoration or decor is the Art of decorating a room so that it is attractive easy to use and functions well with the existing Architecture Flowers for personal enjoyment as well as those selected to celebrate birthdays, anniversaries, thank-you's and get well wishes are also a significant portion of a florist's business. Birthday is the name given to the date of the anniversary of a person's birth An anniversary (from the Latin anniversarius, from the words for year and to turn meaning (returning yearly known in English since c.
The floral business has been impacted significantly by the corporate and social event world in as much as flowers play a large part in the decor of special events and meetings. Centerpieces, entryways, reception tables, bridal bouquets, wedding chuppahs and stage sets and only a few examples of how flowers are used in the business and social event arenas.
Chartered Florists: The Chartered Florists order is represented in over 30 different countries world wide including, the United States, Canada, India, China, Egypt and Botswana. Potential candidates must undergoing an extensive training period followed by a universal final planting examination (UFPE).
Styles of floristry
Many nations have their own style of floral arranging.
Ikebana
Ikebana is a floral arrangement that is simple. is the Japanese art of Flower arrangement, also known as. Ikebana is the Japanese art of flower arrangement Ikebana Is also known as a Japanese floral arrangement.
English Country Garden
English Country Garden is traditionally an English form of designing, but also includes many popular European influences, such as France and Holland. England is a Country which is part of the United Kingdom. Its inhabitants account for more than 83% of the total UK population whilst its mainland This article is about the country For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic France topics. Holland is a region in the western part of the Netherlands. A maritime and economic power in the 17th century Holland today consists of the Dutch provinces of These designs are often done as low mounds, or taller vase arrangements that are all-sided (360°). Many florists that follow this design style do not use Baby's Breath, Carnations and Leatherleaf. Gypsophila (Commonly known as Baby's-breath in the United States elsewhere Gypsophila) is a Genus of about 100 species of Flowering plants The Leatherleaf ( Chamaedaphne calyculata) is a Shrub in the plant family Ericaceae and the only species in the genus Chamaedaphne
High Style
High Style is a form of design originating from the United States. The United States of America —commonly referred to as the These designs often include a 'less is more' motto. Flowers that are popular among High Style Florists include many tropical flowers such as Birds of Paradise and Anthuriums, and also more popular flowers such as Carnations. Anthurium ( Schott, 1829 is a large genus of about 600- 800 (possibly 1000 species belonging to the arum family ( Araceae)
The flower market/auction
A basic requirement of florist shops is the purchasing of flowers to replenish their stock. The flower market, like other agricultural and commodities markets is subject to many fluctuations such as growing conditions and weather, supply and demand, and fashion. Agriculture refers to the production of goods through the growing of plants and fungi and the raising of domesticated Animals The study of agriculture Commodity markets are markets where raw or primary products are exchanged Supply and demand is an Economic model describing effects on price and quantity in a Market. Fashion refers to styles of dress (but can also include cuisine literature art architecture and general comportment that are popular in a culture at any given time
In North America, there are many flower auctions and wholesale markets including United Flower Growers, located in Burnaby, British Columbia, The Boston Flower Exchange, The Los Angeles Flower District and the San Francisco Flower Market. British Columbia (ˌbrɪtɨʃ kəˈlʌmbiə ( BC) ( (la Colombie-Britannique C The Boston Flower Exchange is a wholesale flower market located in Boston, Massachusetts. New York and Miami also have a significant wholesale flower presence but the companies are not housed within a common facility. New York ( is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern regions of the United States and is the nation's third most populous
Internationally there are hundreds of wholesale flower markets and auctions, the largest of which is located in Aalsmeer, Holland, the Bloemenveiling Aalsmeer . Aalsmeer Flower Auction ( Bloemenveiling Aalsmeer) is a flower auction located in Aalsmeer, the Netherlands. Other major markets include the fledgling Dubai Flower Centre and the Ota Flower Market in Tokyo, Japan. officially, is one of the 47 prefectures of Japan and located on the eastern side of the main island Honshū. For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Japan topics.
Shop layout
Generally, a florist's shop will contain a large array of flowers, sometimes displayed on the street, or will have a large plate glass window to display the flowers. To keep them fresh, the flowers will be inside of a refrigerator and kept in water, generally in glass or plastic vases or other containers. The vase (ˈveɪs /ˈveɪz/ or/ˈvɑːz/ is an open container often used to hold cut Flowers It can be made from a number of materials including Ceramics and Most shops have a fridge near the front of the store with large glass doors so that customers can easily view the contents. Some shops also have another refridgerator out of the customers' view where they keep extra stock and arrangements for customers' orders. Most stores have a back section in which the designers can work on orders with more privacy. A designer is a person who designs something Perhaps the broadest definition is that provided by Herbert Simon: ‘Everyone designs who devises courses of action aimed at changing
Significance of particular flowers
Typically, a florist will organize flowers by season and holiday. Flowers have various different meanings in different cultures. The holidays and events for which flowers are used vary. Poppies are used to remember fallen soldiers only in Great Britain and the Commonwealth countries. A poppy is any of a number of showy Flowers typically withone per stem, belonging to the poppy family. The cultural meaning of colors also strongly affects the choice and use of flowers. People often prefer flowers that are associated with their ethnic group or country, and various colors may have special meanings of luck or death or love or other basic human traits. Luck (also called fortunity) is a chance happening, or that which happens beyond a person's control. Death is the termination of the biological functions that define living Organisms It refers both to a specific Love is any of a number of Emotions and experiences related to a sense of strong Affection. A flower such as a red rose might to some mean love, but to others it might be considered indecent or simply puzzling. The vastly divergent views on the color white can lead to major flower issues. White is a Color, the perception which is evoked by Light that stimulates all three types of color sensitive Cone cells in the Human eye White is viewed as standing for death in many Asian cultures but is considered a symbol of purity and innocence in many European and American cultures. The Americas are the lands of the Western hemisphere or New World, consisting of the Continents of North America and South America Such differences can lead to difficult issues when a bouquet of white lilies, for example, is delivered.
Supermarket flowers
Cut flowers are widely sold in supermarkets and gas stations. Unlike a florist, these outlets offer a limited range usually in the form of mixed bunches.
Internet sales
The World Wide Web has had a significant impact on traditional florists, with the North American market experiencing a more than 20% decline in traditional, independently owned flower shops since 1998. The World Wide Web (commonly shortened to the Web) is a system of interlinked Hypertext documents accessed via the Internet. Purchases from shops are slowly being overtaken by online flower delivery ordering and floral wire services. Online flower delivery services are Websites that allow consumers to order flowers and related items by browsing an online catalogue However, some independent florists have taken to having their own online store, where customers can order online instead of the telephone, which is most the common means of receiving orders.
See also
- Cut flower industry, the cultivation of flowers for use in floristry. Floriculture, or flower farming, is a discipline of Horticulture concerned with the cultivation of flowering and Ornamental plants for gardens and
- Ikebana (Japanese floristry)
- Korean flower arrangement
- Floral Design
- Language of flowers
- Interflora
External links
References
- ^ This list of primary floral events is from Teagasc – Advisory – Factsheet 29: Floristry, Irish Agriculture and Food Development Authority, page reviewed on August 30, 2005