Floral Design

Using both creative and service-oriented skills, floral designers arrange live, dried, or silk flowers and other greenery into bouquets, corsages, centerpieces, wreaths, and other displays for weddings, funerals, holidays, and other special occasions.

The work is challenging and rewarding, since designers must take into account the customer’s preferences, the price of the order, the occasion, the season, and the place where the arrangement will be displayed. Floral designers also prearrange arrangements for walk-in customers, and may assist interior designers in creating live or silk displays for hotels, restaurants, and private residences.

The demand for floral designers is expected to grow as flower sales increase with the growth in population and the number of weddings and other special events that require floral decorations. In general, as incomes rise, more people also purchase fresh flowers for their homes and offices.

The Program

The floristry program at American River College is part of the well-established Horticulture program, and is designed to match the current needs and trends in the floral industry.

In working toward a certificate in floristry, our students learn the design techniques and skills practiced in the floral industry, including the identification of flowers and foliage shapes and their use, cut flower care, containers and designers’ aids, as well as an overview of wholesale sources, product origins, and seasonal price fluctuations. Course content includes corsage, wedding sympathy, tribute, party and multi-occasion floral design, as well as applications for standing, flat sprays, set work, and large multi-occasion arrangements.

ARC’s program is designed to meet the current needs and trends in the floral industry. Our instructors are industry-recognized and honored educators, and our program provides a positive learning environment and a diverse student body. In addition to top-notch curriculum, the American River College floristry program has strong ties to the floral industry, and links to work experience in the community are available.

Students who successfully complete the program can be ready for employment in the wholesale industry, retail floral shops, special events, mass markets or starting their own business. Training leads to positions as floral designer, mass markets merchandiser, display product development, sales assistant, floral manager, exclusive wedding designer, wholesale representative, floral buyer, or freelance designer.

In addition to career preparation, this program is also suitable for beginning floral students who are following a personal interest for leisure or recreational activity.

Hort 200: Introduction to Retail Floristry
2 units
This course presents fundamentals of design techniques and skills practiced in the floral industry.  Topics include mechanics, guides to design, identification of flowers and foliage shapes and their use, cut flower care, corsage practice and containers and designers’ aids.

Hort 201:  Floral Design
2 units
This course builds on the theory, techniques and skills developed in Hort 200. Identification of wholesale sources, origin of product, and seasonal price fluctuations in the industry and market as discussed. The emphasis of course is on design techniques.

Hort 202:  Corsage and Wedding Floral Design
2 units
This course presents the history and uses of wedding and body flower designs.  The principles, methods, and practices used to create wedding bouquets and arrangements are explored and practiced. The techniques for wiring corsages, tools and materials for creating them, and other body flower designs are taught and experienced.

Hort 203:  Multi Occasion, Sympathy Design and the Mass Market
2 units
This course presents the theory of sympathy, tribute, party and multi-occasion floral design.  Design applications for standing, flat sprays, set work, large multi-occasion arrangements and floral design is explored.

Your Next Step

For more information, call the ARC Technical Education Division and ask for information on the Floristry Program: (916) 484-8354.

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