How to learn the basics of floral design online
Maybe you want to make some nice floral centerpieces for a party, or maybe the nagging pressure to find a hobby has hit you at last. Whatever the case, you want to learn some basic floral design skills. Great! You are about to have a cool and interesting ability.
With the help of YouTube and websites like Skillshare, it's fairly easy to pick up the basics of floral decorating online. There's also a small but active floristry community on Reddit, which is perfect for troubleshooting.
Even if you don't plan on continuing with the hobby -- you've been put on flower duty for a bridal shower, for example, and just need to come up with something -- you can learn enough to get your specialized project done without spending hours in an internet hole. Here's what to do:
Start with some video tutorials
There are a lot of floral design YouTube videos out there, so we recommend doing some exploring on that platform. But for a simple and calming introduction, check out this clip from the very wholesome FlowerSchool about the craft's basic principles. You'll even get to listen to some nice jazz music.
Many YouTube channels also focus on using grocery store flowers, which is helpful if you're on a budget. YouTubers like lifestyle vlogger Ashlyn Carter, for example, make arrangements using only flowers from Trader Joe's. (One caveat: Carter's instructions often assume you have a garden full of assorted greenery to use at any time.)
BloomTube is a Netherlands-based website dedicated to all things floral design, from news to the latest in floral trends (yes, those are a thing) to comprehensive step-by-step tutorials.
If you happen to live in the Netherlands and want to attend an in-person masterclass, those are available. We're guessing, though, that you'll want to stick with the BloomTube YouTube channel, which features a wide array of extremely specific how-tos. Fair warning: Most of them (though not all of them!) are for people with significant experience.
There are also dozens of floral design classes available on Skillshare, the supremely underrated online learning community. (Here's a nice one.) Some full courses require you to sign up for Skillshare Premium, which costs $15 per month for a monthly package, but the website does offer a free trial. And there are plenty of classes that don't require a Premium account at all.
Here's where to buy flowers and tools
Though many online tutorials emphasize using affordable grocery store flowers, there's a chance your local supermarket might not carry them -- or perhaps the ones available are looking a little rough. Luckily, you can buy wholesale flowers on websites like Blooms by the Box, which offers flowers for online order in bulk. Floral supplies like foam, ribbon, cellophane, vases, flower food, and dyes (if you want to get wild) are also available.
You might also want to buy a pair of floral scissors, which have sharp ridges specifically designed to cut stems without crushing them at the ends. Depending on the flowers you'll be working with, you might also want a thorn stripper. (Every rose has its thorn, etc.)
What to do if it all goes wrong
Need to troubleshoot a specific project? Reddit is your girl. The subreddits r/florists, r/floraldesign, and r/floristry are fairly active communities where both professionals and hobbyists ask questions about their projects and post completed work. They're especially great if you're working on a bridal bouquet or table arrangement -- or if you just want to spend some time in a nice, supportive online community.
Where to turn if you need inspiration
Then, of course, there's Instagram. You won't find many tutorials there, but you will find abundant floristry inspo as far as the thumb can scroll. A few of our favorites: @floretflower, a bright, rustic account run by Washington farmer-florist Erin Benzakein-Floret (she also offers tips and online workshops via her blog); and @theflowerhat, which is famous for its "armload" photos.
BloomTube also has an (extremely bright) inspiration page. Enter at your own risk.
Of course, if you want a truly professional piece of floral art, you'll have to go to an actual professional. But if you want to learn the basics, watching a few tutorials is a wonderful place to begin.
Even if you don't end up getting into floral design yourself, a lot of them are ... pretty great ASMR.
Topics YouTube
Chloe was the shopping editor at Mashable. She was also previously a culture reporter. You can follow her on Twitter at @chloebryan.
