FSNY offers a six-week Floral Design Program, inclusive of an internship requirement at the end of the course. The program includes multiple series and individual classes that focus on designs, techniques, and projects to succeed in the industry. I’ve chronicled my experience throughout the courses. (Spring 2018)

Intensive Series

Modern Rose Twist Design: rose conditioning 101, knife skills, and the importance of stem placement
(hybrid tea roses)

Modern Graphic Design: tulip conditioning and proper maintenance, stem twist
(parrot tulips)

Classic Composition Design: hydrangea conditioning, proper use of oasis, classic design composition, combining different flower types for a design
(hydrangea, ruscus, Tibet rose, white Majolica spray rose, hypericum berry)
 

Hand Tied Bouquet: creating a design in hand, while paying attention to stem direction (spiral)
(Mondial rose, lisianthus, stock, spray rose, astilbe, sweet pea, hypericum, eucalyptus, pittosporum, ruscus)

Classic Monochromatic Designs: keep compositions balanced, hierarchy of flowers, advanced conditioning of flowers

Green: calathea leaf, Tibet rose, green trick, super green rose, green cymbidium, bush ivy, lisianthus
Red/Purple: lisianthus, black pearl rose, cherry love rose, eggplant carnation, pink cymbidium, bush ivy, ti leaf

 

Wedding Bouquet: advanced understanding of rose varieties and their use, attention to detail to ensure bouquet is in perfect condition
(Free Spirit rose, Tiffany rose, Mambo spray rose, dusty miller, seed eucalyptus)

 

Large Scale Design: branch conditioning, translating smaller design techniques into large-scale design, well-balanced design
(forsythia, curly willow, camellia, aspidistra leaf)

 

Contemporary Event Design: flower and décor combination, develop independent design from a recipe, event time frames

Carnation ball
Garden arrangement: anemone, pink cymbidium, eggplant carnation, ruscus

Advanced Design Series (with Ariella Chezar)

Classic Compote Design: color palette and flower combination, compote technique, pricing exercise
(ranunculus, carnation, tulip, hyacinth, anemone, daffodil, ruscus, Ming fern, asparagus fern)
 

Contemporary Organic Container: birch bark manipulation, complement container style with arrangement
(ruscus, asparagus fern, anemone, muscari, hyacinth, tulip)

Large Scale Modern Design: longevity conditioning for a weeklong design, tape-grid mechanics, balanced design
(amaryllis, curly willow, quince, white cherry branch, bear grass, ruscus, aspidistra leaf)

Contemporary Asymmetrical Design: develop asymmetrical shape in design, unique combination of flowers
(blue star fern, rainbow & seeded eucalyptus, wax flower, rose, butterfly ranunculus, veronica, daffodil)

Advanced Wedding Series (with Laura Seita)

Floral Crown & Boutonnieres: wiring and taping techniques, proper conditioning with wire/tape elements

Crown: seeded eucalyptus, baby’s breath, hyacinth bloom
Boutonnieres: spray rose, dusty miller, seeded eucalyptus // calla lily

Monumental Urn Arrangement & Wedding Canopy (Chuppah):

• Urn: 180° balanced shape, depth creation, designing with foliage-heavy elements
• Chuppah: wiring technique with foliage and branches, developing design and flow throughout the arch, working in larger team setting

(camellia, forsythia, tall eucalyptus, Tycoon rose, alstroemeria)

Elevated Centerpiece: 360° balanced shape, proportion to container elevation
(hydrangea, Mondial rose, Tibet rose, variegated pittosporum)
 

Cascading Bridal Bouquet: wiring foliage for bouquet, designing in hand with cascading shape
(Cubana rose, cymbidium, brassica, ranunculus, Italian pittosporum, asparagus fern, fritillaria)

 

Sympathy Workshop

Casket Spray/Wreath: 180° shape design on closed casket, designing with oasis wreath
(Tibet rose, Mondial rose, snap dragon, larkspur, clematis, wax flower, succulent, asparagus fern, ruscus, forsythia)

 

Event Design Series (with Ariella Chezar)

Based on bride’s profile for a Rustic wedding, I teamed up with a classmate to develop a storyboard, centerpiece design, bridal bouquet, and boutonniere pieces. After we developed our shopping list, we went to the flower market to purchase materials needed for a scaled-down presentation. Alongside the presentation, we included a budget worksheet and completed proposal for the bride.

Design & Style: with a peach, muted blue/violet and green palette, we created lush garden-like elements to align with the farm-to-table venue. The softness of the flower elements balanced out the roughness of the foliage and eryngium. The table décor includes white linen table runners, violet chargers, and copper candleholders to complement the artichoke and rosemary accents to create an organic and natural ambience.

Elements used: curly willow, rosemary, eryngium, spray rose, garden rose, carnation, eucalyptus (silver dollar, gunny, seeded), lisianthus, muscari, artichoke

Flower Shop Series

Through a simulation exercise with a classmate, we placed orders with each other for arrangements with a $150 and $75 budget. With this exercise, we were able to practice what we learned in previous lessons: selecting a combination of flowers to ensure we remain in budget, designing with the client’s request in mind, flower and color combination.

$75 Budget – Easter flowers for the family, casual, pink and white palette, foliage
(wax flower, vibernum, carnation, aspidistra, ruscus, iris, lisianthus)

$150 Budget – divorce bouquet for a friend, dark jewel tones, deep greenery, rustic style
(dusty miller, clematis, veronica, stock, lisianthus, eucalyptus, allium, anemones)

Miscellaneous

Large Scale Design
(curly willow, white cherry branch, black pussy willow, blue delphinium)