Sooner or later you will need to buy fresh flowers. They may be for someone special, a sick friend or family member, a funeral, prom, or maybe a wedding. Some of us, who buy flowers all the time and know their value in our culture, don’t have a problem when it comes to purchasing a flower arrangement or bouquet. However, there are those who have never purchased flowers, and have no idea what to do when the time comes or how to work with a florist.
As a flower grower and floral designer, I’ve helped many first time customers with the process, and am happy to give you a few pointers when it comes to purchasing fresh cut flowers. The first thing you need to do is establish a relationship with a florist the same way that you would any professional such as a barber, hairstylist, doctor, or attorney. The florist will get to know you and know what you like so they can fit their designs around your personality. Find a florist with experience and a good reputation for selling a fresh product. Just ask around if you have trouble making a decision. You’ll want to know where you can get the freshest flowers and at the best price. Remember that a florist is a professional, and you will need to compensate them for their work and talent. Floral arranging is like singing; everyone thinks they’re good at it, but only a few can earn money doing it. But, if you want to give it a try, a good florist will sell you everything you need to get started, and give you a few tips along the way.
Fresh flowers need to be treated like any fresh product so they look good for the recipient. Fresh clean water kept at the right temperature with the correct amount of floral preservative added to prevent bacteria buildup is essential. Discount store flowers are rarely a bargain because of the lack of care they generally receive. The number one reason not to buy Mega-mart flowers is that they are sold next to the produce. Produce gives off ethylene gas, which is a disaster for fresh cut flowers. The gas, which naturally occurs as produce decays, shortens the life of flowers and causes them to wilt prematurely.
Buying flowers over the Internet is also a bad idea because you can’t consult with the florist, you may be charged a processing fee, the filling florist usually receives only around 70% of what you pay, and most of the time the only guarantee is that the florist filling the order has to use the same color flowers. The Internet florist services use computer enhancement to make the flower arrangements look big. Sometimes they add unnatural colors to certain flowers in order to enhance the image. This makes it impossible for the “mystery florist” who will fill your order to make the design you think you ordered, or use the same flowers. Nowadays, you can simply call information to find a florist located in another town. That way, you can talk to the florist filling your order and know what you are actually purchasing.
Don’t try to wheel and deal when talking with a florist. You will find yourself trying to make a deal on a product you may know little about. Have a reasonable idea of what you are willing to spend. An experienced florist can help you find the right size design and stay within your budget. Keep in mind large or detailed arrangements for weddings and funerals can take hours to make and involve expensive and hard to find flowers. You will need to compensate the florist for their labor.
