Many people who are unfamiliar with the art of floristry simply believe that a florist does nothing more than jam a bunch of flowers into a pretty vase and then mark up the price to make a living – this could not be further from the truth. Florists must have excellent coordination, a keen eye for design and a good working knowledge of the plants that they use in order to be even the least bit successful.



A steady Hand and a keen Eye

A good florist knows how to select the healthiest and heartiest forms of the plant they will use in a particular arrangement. They know how to cut and handle each individual flower (or any other piece of foliage that they are using) so that none of the pieces of the arrangement get damaged during the creative process. A broken and bruised flower has no place in a beautiful arrangement, so the utmost care is taken throughout the entire process to ensure that all the flowers remain healthy.

Knowledge of Color and Design

When creating a custom arrangement, a florist must know what colors will work together in the arrangement as well as what will work in particular surroundings. They must also be aware of textures and smell that will work together in a pleasing manner to make the most overall aesthetically appealing arrangement.

Some florists are capable of this entire part of the process by natural instinct, they can just tell what types of plants and flowers will work together and which will not. Other florists will study art and design in an effort to give them a creative edge in this area to produce the best flower arrangements possible.

Theme Arrangements

Creating beautiful flowers isn’t just a seasonal thing; all types of occasions and holiday require the florist to put forth their effort in developing new and exciting arrangements. Weddings, birthdays, anniversaries, births, deaths and holidays are all occasions that flower arrangements can be provided for.

During some of these more special or thoughtful occasions, florists may go to an extra level to create a particularly beautiful piece. Some florists will create arrangements using a customers favorite flower as the centerpiece upon request – in these arrangements a florist may have to use materials that they are not entirely familiar working with so the creative part of their personality must really come into play.

For other occasions the florist may create an arrangement that looks floral, but doesn’t include any flowers. Arrangements may be made from food products or other unusual items to create a truly original and custom arrangement.

For other occasions a florist may be called upon to create floral wreaths, corsages or boutonnières, which can be even more difficult because these arrangements don’t have anything in which to house or contain them.

Floristry is certainly not something that just anyone can do, the how of making a flower arrangement is a difficult task that requires many elements and areas of knowledge to complete as beautifully and perfectly as possible for a special occasion. Flower arrangements are the centerpieces of such forever memorable occasions as weddings and proms and gifts that the memory of will be cherished for years to come.

Flower arrangements can alter the whole mood of an event; a truly beautiful arrangement can be the icing on the cake, so to speak. It’s true that anyone can easily pick some flowers and plop them in a vase, but only a well trained and ultra creative florist can create an arrangement that will not only steal the show, but last through it as well.

Destin: Floral Design and More

[SinglePic not found]Destin Floral Designs by Gifts of Joy is the premier event planner in Destin. Floral design experts and master event planners, these professionals will make certain your wedding, corporate meeting, or other special event meets and exceeds your expectations.

With more than 35 years experience in event planning in Destin, floral design utilizing the most up to date trends, and affiliation with top local vendors, Destin Floral Designs will make every event they plan both beautiful and memorable.

Destin weddings and Destin’s fresh floral creations are some of the most beautiful in the nation. If you’ve dreamed of a destination wedding and do not wish to leave the country, or if you have friends and family scattered amongst several locations, meeting up in Destin to host your wedding may be an ideal solution.

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[SinglePic not found]Flowers are a living product; which has been cut from their lifeline, thus creating special needs. Not meeting these needs will result in a quicker deterioration and a shorter life for your flower arrangement.

· WATER Flowers are composed of more than 90% water. Water carries nutrients through the tiny vessels, up the stem and leaves, to the flower. Water keeps the flower fresh, firm and alive after it has been cut from the growing plant.

- Fresh cut flowers must never be allowed to dry out. They must have water at all times.

· FOOD Cut flowers have lost their source of food, so you must provide an energy source for the flower to stay looking fresh. Preservatives are available from your local florist. Forget the aspirin and lemon lime soda tricks; they simply are not a good source of energy for fresh cut flowers.

- Use of no preservative, too little preservative or the improper preservative will decrease flower life span.

· HEALTHY ENVIRONMENT Temperature affects the life of fresh cut flowers. Cool temperatures slow down the deterioration process while warm temperatures speed it up. Excessively hot or cold temperatures will cause a great deal of damage. Flowers also need fresh air, free from pollutants and gases, particularly ethylene to stay healthy.

- Flowers that are placed in the sunlight or near a heat source, including electronic equipment such as a television will harm the life of flowers. Cold drafts or freezing temperatures are another hazard.

· SANITATION To prevent the growth of stem-clogging organisms that will inhibit the life of flowers clean water, tools and air are a must.

- Dirty tools, water and solutions will encourage bacterial growth which clogs stems and prevents the absorption of water.

A word about ethylene gas. Flowers must be protected form fruit and vegetables which gives off ethylene gas as it ripens. Therefore, placing flowers in a food refrigerator is not a good idea. Certain machinery also produces ethylene gas. Look for these characteristics when purchasing quality fresh flowers:

• Flowers should be firm and not limp.
• Stems should be clean, not dark and/or slimy
• Flowers should be free of disease and insects
• There should not be breakage
• Good color should be visible with little or no discolorations
• Single-stemmed flowers should be showing color, about to open
• Cluster or spike flowers should have one or two buds open
• Filler flowers should have one third to one half of the flowers open
• Flowers with centers should be open with green or mostly green centers

Purchasing flowers from a florist should insure that they have been properly cleaned, feed, conditioned and kept away from sources of ethylene gas. Choose beautiful healthy long lasting flowers to enjoy!