By Katie Flannery | Published Apr 29, 2022 2:44 PM
BobVila.com and its partners may earn a commission if you purchase a product through one of our links.
Photo: istockphoto.com
Flower arrangements can transform any space with the beauty of nature. Instead of buying premade arrangements, you can learn how to design them. Many people who want to learn how to become florists or arrange flowers are typically interested in floral design classes or floral schools. With online floral design classes and flower arrangement classes, you can learn from professional, accomplished florists from the comfort of your own home. Using online platforms, floral design schools and floral arrangement classes can teach anyone to design and put together flower arrangements for any occasion.
Flower arranging classes usually focus on specific aspects of flower care and design. While some platforms may offer a stand-alone floral design class, others offer a series of workshops designed to prepare students for a career in floristry. Practical knowledge and experience are valued in the field of floristry. Earning a floral certificate is not required to become a florist, but it may help build a solid foundation to find a job and gain valuable real-world skills.
Here, we’ll cover what to consider when deciding on the best online floral design classes, compare our top picks, and answer some frequently asked questions regarding floral design. If you’re interested in a flower arranging class, consider these recommendations that offer something for all skill levels, from hobbyists to budding floral professionals. These classes can teach you how to arrange your own flowers instead of buying premade arrangements or opting for one of the best flower subscriptions.
Photo: istockphoto.com
There are a few factors to consider when choosing one of the best online floral design classes. These can include platform, pricing, skill level, class length, curriculum, required supplies, and content access.
A flower arrangement class can be offered via a floral school’s website or through an online learning platform. An online learning platform is a site that offers educational content, resources, and instruction in one convenient place. Depending on the platform, students will be able to buy the class as a stand-alone purchase or access it as part of a subscription. When opting for a subscription-based learning platform, students can take as many classes as they want on the platform for one flat fee. But if students are interested in taking only one class, paying for a subscription may not be the best choice.
When looking for an online florist class, it’s important for a student to register for a course that best suits their skill level and knowledge. Beginning students will want to search for classes that cater to those with little to no flower arranging experience. Intermediate and advanced classes will have content that is geared toward those with more experience or who want to learn more about specialized techniques.
Some classes can last less than an hour, while others may be ongoing courses that last for a few weeks. Students will want to choose a class that matches the time commitment they’re able and willing to make. Certain floral design classes focus on one particular design or project, and others will cover various topics and design styles. It’s important that a student read the course description carefully to ensure the curriculum matches their expectations.
Students will typically need to provide their own supplies, such as floral tape, scissors, pruning snips, floral foam, preservatives, containers, and flowers. Some platforms will ship supplies to students or offer discount codes so students can purchase flowers at a wholesale price.
For stand-alone classes, students typically have full lifetime access. Classes purchased on an online subscription platform allow students access for only as long as they maintain the subscription.
We researched online floral design classes and narrowed our list down to six of the top offerings. Here are our choices for the best online floral design classes.
Why It Made the Cut: With a comprehensive breakdown of floral design principles, Udemy’s Floral Design — Not Just Flower Arranging is a standout choice for floral design rookies.
Udemy is an online teaching and learning platform that offers thousands of classes on various topics, including floral design. Floral Design — Not Just Flower Arranging is a beginner-level course that covers floral design basics, the importance of physical and visual balance, arrangement preparation, necessary tools of the trade, and more. This 2-hour class breaks down floral design principles with text, audio, and video lessons. The relatively low cost of $24.99 includes full lifetime access to class content, class access via smart television or mobile device, and a certificate of completion. Since some videos are slideshows with audio recorded over the top, they may not be the most engaging format for some students. But information comprehension is increased by incorporating checkpoint challenges and brief quizzes, so students are sure to retain design details. Udemy also offers a subscription so students can access unlimited classes for a monthly fee.
Specs
Pros
Cons
Why It Made the Cut: Geared toward learners of all levels, the Design Stunning Floral Arrangements class allows students to build skills over 30 days.
Offered by MasterClass, Design Stunning Floral Arrangements spans 30 days and takes students through designing five floral arrangements. The class is taught by Maurice Harris, a Los Angeles-based floral designer and one of the hosts of Full Bloom, a floral design competition show on HBO Max. The course is geared toward learners of all levels and provides an introduction to floral design as well as instruction in single-stem, table, bouquet, and wreath arrangements. Students will want to remember that there will be due dates for assignments during the course, which is different from the requirements of a stand-alone class. The course focuses on building skills through individual projects of increasing complexity and culminates with a signature arrangement in each student’s unique style. Discounts are available for purchasing materials from select retailers, and students can receive feedback from teaching assistants and peers. The MasterClass subscription rate is $180 per year for unlimited classes.
Specs
Pros
Cons
Why It Made the Cut: Explicitly tailored for beginners, Flower Arranging: Learn How to Arrange Like a Pro! guides students through the basics to design a beautiful arrangement.
Provided via Skillshare, Flower Arranging: Learn How to Arrange Like a Pro! is specifically designed for beginners. The 26-minute class covers the materials needed, offers step-by-step instruction, and offers helpful tips to arrange a decorative seasonal flower arrangement. The bright and well-lit instructional videos are relatively short and easy to follow. They focus on seasonal and local flower arrangements, which is an environmentally friendly option, so students can feel comfortable using the flowers available to them at any time of the year. While students learn a bit about different flowers and how to make their own flower arrangements, few design principles or concepts are explained during the class. It costs $167.88 for an annual Skillshare membership with access to unlimited classes, and the site also offers a free 7-day trial.
Specs
Pros
Cons
Why It Made the Cut: Modern Flowers: Arranging a Stunning Centerpiece is the perfect class for the budding florist looking to up their flower-arranging game.
Offered through Skillshare, the 48-minute Modern Flowers: Arranging a Stunning Centerpiece class focuses on intermediate students with thorough step-by-step instructions. The instructors are incredibly detail-oriented and explain the “why” behind every step, so the directions are very easy to follow. Students learn the technical skills behind floral design, and, for their hands-on class project, they’re encouraged to have fun and break the rules. Conceptual and technical tips are offered to make long-lasting, functional, and lovely arrangements. The professionally shot instructional video has multiple camera angles and video transitions to make it easy to follow. While students are encouraged to share their favorite flower and base their design around it, the instructors use expensive flowers that may not be readily available to every student. Skillshare offers an annual subscription for $167.88 to access unlimited classes. A free 7-day trial is available to try out the platform without committing.
Specs
Pros
Cons
Why It Made the Cut: The 3.5-hour Fusion Style Floral Design Master Course examines advanced techniques and floral design theory for students looking to dive deeper into contemporary floral design.
Offered by Udemy, the Fusion Style Floral Design Master Course focuses on advanced structural designs such as binding/tatami, chicken wire, hammering, and combined tatami and hammering. Individually priced at $84.99, this 3.5-hour on-demand video can be accessed via a mobile device and smart television. World Floral Design Champion Mark Pampling teaches the class, and he focuses on contemporary floral design to prepare students to work in today’s floristry market. Pampling covers floral design inspiration and teaches advanced construction techniques that build height to tall installations and shape to low arrangements. The videos will sometimes skip ahead to the end result, which can be confusing to students learning these techniques for the first time. But since students will have access to the class forever, they can replay the video as many times as they need to practice the techniques.
Specs
Pros
Cons
Why It Made the Cut: The American School of Flower Design offers several stand-alone classes for varying skill levels to re-create stunning floral designs.
Students looking to create stand-alone bouquets or centerpieces can consider taking single independent classes through the American School of Flower design website. The curriculum for each class doesn’t go in depth into techniques and concepts but focuses on how to replicate one particular floral design. For $150, students will get access to the class and a box of flowers and supplies shipped the next day from FedEx. Each box provides enough materials to complete two of the designs featured in the class. Each class focuses on one type of design, including bouquets, centerpieces, vases, and topiaries.
Specs
Pros
Cons
Based on the comprehensive breakdown of floral design principals, relatively low cost, lifetime access to class content, and student reviews, Udemy’s Floral Design — Not Just Flower Arranging class is our top pick for the best online floral design class. Geared toward learners of all levels, the 30-day Design Stunning Floral Arrangements program offered by MasterClass is our top choice for the best online floral design course.
We considered various factors to determine the best online floral design classes. We focused on popular, positively reviewed classes that cater to various skill levels. This list of classes provides content on accessible learning platforms, well-rounded class curricula, varying class lengths, and guidance from expert instructors. We thoroughly examined pricing and course materials to ensure that students were getting good value and quality instruction.
Getting started in the field of floristry doesn’t require a degree or a certificate from a floral design school. Taking individual floral design classes or extended course programs via an online learning platform can give students enough knowledge and experience to get a job in a florist shop to gain real-world, hands-on experience. Online floral design classes can easily fit into a busy schedule and give students a good idea of whether pursuing a lengthier program is the right choice. One of the benefits of paying for a yearly subscription for a learning platform is access to unlimited classes that cover various topics, from floral design, to baking, to the best online interior design courses. Classes and programs offered through a floral design school only cover floral design and can be considerably more expensive. Before signing up for a workshop or classes, students should think about what they want to accomplish from the learning process. Is it brushing up on new techniques, learning the basics, or diving into the world of professional floristry? These questions can guide students on the best place to invest their money for education.
Online floral design classes are available as workshops, extended programs, and standalone courses. The price can vary greatly if the classes are taken via a learning platform or from a specialty floral design institute. Individual classes can range from $24.99 to $150, and learning platform subscription fees can cost around $180 annually, with access to unlimited classes on various subjects. If a student is interested in more career-focused programs, the fees to attend a floral design school are significantly more expensive, ranging from $1,850 for an intensive weeklong program to $2,350 for a 120-hour basic program. Some schools offer discounted advanced programs for students who hold a basic instruction certificate or florists with at least 500 hours of work experience. Keep in mind that floral design schools may also offer financial aid to help cover the cost of instruction.
Online floral design classes can provide everything from basic knowledge all the way to advanced technical skills. Here are a few additional benefits of taking online design classes.
With all the choices available, deciding on which online floral design class to take can be overwhelming. Here are a few frequently asked questions to help make the decision easier.
Online classes can range from a 30-minute stand-alone class to a 30-day program.
Both provide flowers to customers but in different ways. A florist arranges and sells cut flowers, and a floral designer uses plants and flowers to create decoration for weddings, receptions, and other gatherings.
The major principles of floral design are considered the tools of design, and they are how a design is put together. They are divided into primary principles (balance, proportion, contrast, rhythm, and unity), and secondary ones (repetition, accent, scale, variation, focal point/area, transition, tension, and opposition).
Floral designers wear many hats. They know the best places to buy flowers and how to design floral displays, arrange the design based on a customer’s needs, take orders, and answer phones. They’ll have knowledge of what type of flowers are in season and know how to care for various types of plants and flowers.
Texture can enhance the overall impact of a floral arrangement. A modern arrangement would benefit from smooth flowers, while a more romantic design focuses on a soft, flowing, and delicate selection. The texture of an arrangement or bouquet is the overall appearance and characteristics of a surface. Texture can be related to flowers as well as vessels, foliage, fillers, ribbons, and bows.
Yes, but it may be easier to watch floral design tutorials or enroll in an extended program while learning from experienced professionals.
Becoming a florist doesn’t require a college degree or even certification from a floral design school, but it wouldn’t hurt to have advanced knowledge. Having experience in floral design, as well as knowledge in art, design, and even biology or botany, is highly valued. If you plan to open your own business, taking a business class or two may prepare you to run a flower shop efficiently.
Disclosure: BobVila.com participates in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for publishers to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.
Copyright © 2022 Acton Media Inc. All rights reserved.
