Floral Design Program Curriculum
The Floral Design Program is comprised of multiple series and individual classes that focus on subject matter that is critical to succeeding in the floral design industry. The curriculum is outlined below, with approximations of the hours required to complete each series.
The Floral Design Program also requires a 50 hr internship after completing the 82 hours of curriculum.
Introductory Series
9 Total Hours
This series of classes starts at the very beginning of floral design and teaches the foundation level skills in floral design. Skills include how to correctly handle and care for flowers, how to use a floral knife and clippers, and the conditioning of flowers for optimal vase-life longevity. This series teaches simple, high-end designs that highlight the flowers’ most beautiful and unique characteristics. Once learned, these designs can be recreated at home again and again.
SERIES INFORMATION
Class 1: Introduction to Design I: Hard-Stemmed Flowers
Class 2: Introduction to Design II: Soft-Stemmed Flowers
Class 3: Garden Centerpiece Design
Learn to start mixing different flowers and textures. How to achieve a chic seemingly garden look while keeping to a strict set of design instructions. Students will learn how to condition hydrangea and the other seasonal elements. The positives & negatives of floral foam and how to use it correctly. The techniques of building a composition so it can be consistent in design and travel well. Each student is responsible to build on arrangement using the above-demonstrated method as a test of student knowledge.
Class 4: Hand Tied Bouquet
Traditional Dutch method where bouquet is made in the hand. This style and look is reminiscent of classic Dutch still life paintings. Students will learn the methodical construction of making bouquets by having all the stems going in the same direction and evenly distributed. Students will all build Dutch hand tied bouquet of their own as a test of student knowledge.
Intermediate Series
11 Hours Total
After learning the basic floristry techniques in the Introduction Series, the Intermediate Series will introduce the next level of floral design skills and techniques including purchasing flowers and building recipes.
SERIES INFORMATION
Class 5: Flower Market Review and Floral Pricing
Learn what the wholesale market is and what advantages/disadvantages it provides. Sellers insure competitive prices, larger selection of different flower varieties and consistancy of product. Students will learn about how to purchase from a variety of sources. Learn how to work with local flower farmer’s and wholesalers workflow and how to manage expectations. How to buy flowers based on cost, quality and location. Students will price out the designs made in the class using actual prices from the day’s purchase as a test of student knowledge. HOMEWORK: Students must tour the New York Flower Market before Class #5 on Wednesday at 11:30am. Students must complete the Flower Market Buying Questionnaire to understand the type of questions and information florists must ask when buying flowers. Students must be prepared to discuss their experience at the Market in Class #5. Suggested time frame: Wednesday 9am – 11am
Class 6: Classic Monochromatic Design
Learn the proper conditioning techniques for the seasonal flowers used in this design as well as methods for wrapping and decorating the vase for more modern polished look. Learn to construct an arrangement using the crisscross technique using heavier flowers first to form a more stable grid. Students will learn how to build a palette of similarly toned, monochromatic colors using different varieties of flowers. All students will make the design using the above techniques while seeing the different color and texture variations as a test of student knowledge.
Class 7: Hand Tied Bridal Bouquet
Learn about bridal bouquets and the different popular styles. Condition the seasonal flowers used in this bouquet. Use the skills learned in Class 4 and improve on them to make a more polished, professional, balanced bridal bouquet. All stems need to be arranged going in the same direction while blooms need to be at the appropriate height. This class is a focus on detail, color, texture, wrapping styles and bow styles. All students will make the design using the above techniques while seeing the different color and texture variations as a test of student knowledge.
Class 8: Large Scale Branch Arrangements
Learn how to condition large botanical elements for large-scale floral designs including selecting the right clippers and how to use them. How to prune each piece to make sure that it is the right shape for designing and selecting the right vase styles. Students will learn how to Insert stems into the vase in the spiral fashion to easily manipulate the position and look of each branch. Each student will make a large-scale design with branches, flowers and other elements as a test of student knowledge.
Class 9: Introduction to Event Design
Introduction to Tablescaping. In this class students will learn how to coordinate the entire look of a table including the silverware, candles and of course flowers. We will create two different looks or design styles to demonstrate how the flowers and decor can change the environment. Students will learn how to gauge the height and dimension of flower arrangements to work within sight lines, how to keep multiple arrangements similar to achieve a coherent and overall look and to maintain consistency of theme and concept according to the event or client’s request.
Conditioning & Floral Workflow Lab – 4 Hours Total
The Conditioning Lab is a simulated design studio experience where students spend the entire day conditioning flowers for up and coming projects. Student will learn the best workflow to process flowers including how to check-in materials, prepping containers and conditioning different varieties of flowers depending on their needs and time of use. * Conditioning Lab will end when the project for the day is complete; time can vary.
Advanced Design Series – 9 Hours Total
The Advanced Design Series is a continuation of the Intensive Series where students learn more advanced techniques and develop their own style of floral design. Students will learn four different mechanics of arranging that are commonly used for achieving a specific look. Each student will also be responsible for creating a sketch of the concept and design, picking their own color palette for each instructional technique and selecting their own flowers to best fit their concept.
SERIES INFORMATION
Class 10: Classic Compote
This class will focus on using chicken wire to help build a grid for floral design. Rather than replicating a design like in earlier classes, students will have to develop their own colors and style based on the class lecture. The instructor will coach each student to insure that they are successful.
Class 11: Large Scale Modern Design
This class will focus on building a tape & grid system for large-scale design. Rather than replicating a design like in earlier classes, students will have to develop their own colors and style based on the class lecture. The instructor will coach each student to insure that they are successful.
Class 12: Container Design
This class will focus on creating organic containers and how to create cohesive floral compositions. Rather than replicating a design like in earlier classes, students will have to develop their own colors and style based on the class lecture. The instructor will coach each student to insure that they are successful.
Advanced Wedding Series – 16 Hours Total
The Advanced Wedding Series focuses on more advanced skills for the wedding market. It presupposes knowledge of certain techniques such as proper flower processing, basic arranging and familiarity with the florist’s knife, as gained through FSNY’s Intensive Series. This Wedding Series includes step-by-step instruction of four wedding-specific design skills including: hand-wiring individual flowers for boutonnieres and head wreaths; the design of a cascading bridal bouquet using hand-wiring techniques; large scale designs for ceremony decor; and the construction & decoration of a Chuppah.
SERIES INFORMATION
Class 14: Hair Flowers and Boutonnieres
Students will learn how to choose flowers for corsages, boutonnieres and head wreaths based on longevity and appropriateness for each application. Hand-wiring techniques will be demonstrated for specific flower types and then applied to each application. Students will take home a head wreath and boutonniere as created in class.
Class 15: Monumental Urn Arrangements for Ceremony
In this class, students will learn how to decorate a ceremony site with large-scale, 180-degree arrangements. A short talk will focus on vessel choice and scale of arrangements. The instructor will demonstrate how to prep a large-scale container with oasis and chicken wire, and create a three-sided arrangement that is structurally balanced as well as stunningly beautiful! Students will work in groups to recreate large-scale arrangements.
Class 16: Elevated Centerpiece Designs
This class will feature elevated designs for events or weddings. This style allows for a floral component to be raised at least 24 inches off the table, which greatly changes the direction and viewpoint of the design. Students must concentrate on viewer’s perspective as well as making a perfectly round design as an advanced technique of Class #3.
Class 17: Wedding Canopy and Flower Covered Arches
A brief discussion on the meaning and appropriateness of Chuppahs, arches and canopies for wedding ceremonies. Construction of a canopy or Chuppah will be created and students will learn specific techniques for applying flowers to such canopies. The floral canopy will be decorated collectively by the group, weather permitting, in our beautiful outdoor garden space.
Class 18: The Cascading Bridal Bouquet
Students will learn how to create a modern, cascading bridal bouquet constructed entirely out of hand-wired blossoms. Students will learn how to wire stems to create length, how to manipulate stems and blooms to feature the flowers best features and how to create a lush, cascading bouquet to produce an overall dramatic effect. Students will take home their romantic bouquets!
Consultation to Execution: Wedding Design Series – 15 Hours Total
In this three-day course, students learn the full process of creating the overall floral design for a wedding. Students begin with creating storyboards, receive instruction in conducting consultations and creating proposals, how to purchase floral product and finally, creating the mock-execution of the event’s designs. Each student is required to develop their own wedding floral designs based on specific client requests and finishes with a mockup table decor and presentation to the “client.” This is a great opportunity for students to practice event production with specific client requests, budgets and of course, flowers. Day Two will focus on flower buying, production and construction of designs. This day will be led by designer Calvert Crary.
Sympathy Workshop – 4 Hours Total
In this class students with work through the stages of planning a funeral using flowers as the medium to soothe and comfort the bereaved. Reviewing funeral traditions and treatments from around the world, this class will focus on the meaning of sympathy flowers in a non-cliched approach demonstrating how flowers can send a powerful message during a difficult time. Students will learn how to decorate a funeral wreath and casket spray using seasonal flowers.
Flower Shop Series – 9 Hours Total
The Flower Shop Series is a four part series that will teach the class the workflow of owning a flower shop and will cover the following subjects. This class is for students with floral design experience who plan to open a retail shop or people who have shops who are looking to expand and redefine their businesses.
SERIES INFORMATION
Day One: Morning
Understanding the type of business that you wish to have is the first task in preparing to open a shop. Do you want to have a shop that focuses on events (wedding and corporate) or gifts (retail) or a combination of the two? We will provide three working models so that you can visualize the type of business that would a best fit. Upfront costs will be discussed.
Day One: Afternoon
Section two focuses on preparation for daily orders. Students will be tasked with designing a variety of common requests, ordering the flowers for those designs and making sure they are within budget. Here, we will go over standard pricing practices, presentation, customer expectations and vendor relationships.
Day Two: Morning
In the morning of day two, students will start their day operating as they were in a flower shop. The flowers will be conditioned; orders will be filled for specific clients with specific requirements. Finally, we will learn different wrapping styles and demonstrate successful working methods for each.
Day Two: Afternoon
Part four will concentrate on the branding of the business, building a clientele creating a dynamic website and merchandising
Internship – 50 Hours Total
Providing our students with opportunities in the floral field is an important goal for FlowerSchool NY. We work hard to help our students find real world experiences in order to continue their floral education in the field. We work with several affiliate flower shops and studios throughout the country that offer our students internships ranging from weekends to one month and full year opportunities. Many of our students build upon these experiences to open their own shops or secure a full-time position at an existing studio.
INTERNSHIP INFORMATION