Learn Practical Skills At Home

Your comprehensive lessons are clear and well-organized; easy to follow, yet challenging and engaging at the same time. Each lesson begins with an introductory note from your instructor, plus a preview outlining the subject matter and study objectives.

Next comes the reading assignment from your textbook, lesson book or supplemental references. Practice exercises help you check and review the key concepts you’ve learned. And hands-on projects make the subject come alive for you. Then, turn in your open-book exam (available online) for the lesson, whenever YOU are ready.

Enroll online or call 1-800-535-1613 to speak with an Admission Advisor!

Meet Your Instructor

Kathy Swartz has been a professional floral designer since 1975. In addition to teaching floral design, she's managed and provided services to a number of floral shops and has her own floral design consulting business. She's also been a flower buyer and a visual merchandiser, and has designed bouquets, corsages, swags, garlands, arrangements and wreaths for weddings, birthdays, anniversaries, funerals, parties, banquets and many other kinds of occasions.

What You’ll Learn Lesson By Lesson in this Course

Lesson 1, Opportunities in Floral Design

Understanding the emotional power of flowers; the history of floral design; the floral design industry and employment opportunities; introduction to fresh-cut flower care; re-cutting stems, removing excess foliage; how to maximize vase life.

Lesson 2, Composition, Harmony & Unity

The design process; creating a complete artistic unit; developing a unique style; selecting parts that fulfill the theme; color; shape; placement; principles of harmony, selecting flowers, accessories and containers; unifying your designs through proximity, repetition and transition.

Lesson 3, Color

color theory defined; the properties of color: hue, value and intensity; the color wheel; primary, secondary and tertiary colors; creating color schemes with flowers; how floral designers utilize the psychological effects of color; contrasting and complementary color schemes.

Lesson 4, Balance, Proportion & Scale

Physical balance and visual balance; the four types of balance: symmetrical, asymmetrical, radial and open; proportion; scale; achieving proper vase-to-flower and flower-to-flower ratios.

Lesson 5, Focal Point & Rhythm

The importance of visual emphasis and focal points; using color, shape, pattern, size, spacing, texture, framing and accessories; rhythm in floral design; repetition and radiating lines; using transition to create visual pathways.

Supplement: Time Management Guide

Sound techniques to help floral designers maximize their time.

Lesson 6, Line, Form, Space & Depth

The elements of line, form, space and depth in floral design; three basic linear configurations and how they affect feelings; grouping shapes together; design considerations of space; angling and overlapping stems to create depth.

Lesson 7, Texture & Fragrance

How flowers, foliage and accessories appeal to the senses of smell and touch; achieving textural variety in arrangements; which flowers are most fragrant; when to avoid strong fragrances; feelings evoked by certain flower scents.

Lesson 8, Tools, Containers & Mechanics

Tools for floral construction; container shapes and styles: glass, plastic, woven, ceramic and brass; using floral foam; wiring fresh flowers; how to use glue, clays and tape; ribbon and bow making; wrapping your floral arrangements.

Lesson 9, Floral Nomenclature & Post-harvest Physiology

Understanding botanically complete flower and leaf structures; names and expected life spans of flowers and plants; ways to extend freshness.

Lesson 10, Care & Handling of Flowers & Plants

Maintaining flowers after harvest; the chain from grower to consumer; conditioning stems; removing thorns and excess foliage; soaking tropical flowers; preservatives; conditioning and dry-packing; refrigerating fresh flowers; caring for and harvesting home garden flowers.

Lesson 11, Form & Shape

Constructing triangular, circular, crescent, vertical and horizontal arrangements; cone-shaped, one-sided circular, topiary ball and Hogarth curve designs; how to add mass with foliage and filler flowers; popular shapes for floral arrangements.

Lesson 12, Special & Seasonal Occasions & Holidays

Preparing for floral holidays; creating theme flowers for Christmas, Hanukkah, Valentine’s Day, Easter, Passover, Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, Independence Day, Memorial Day, Halloween, Thanksgiving and various religious holidays; other occasion bouquets: new baby, birthday, graduation, anniversary, get-well and sympathy.

Lesson 13, Flowers To Wear

Complementing fashions with flowers; determining color, proportion and scale; making corsages and boutonnieres; spray painting carnations; ribbon loops and flags; lace, netting and pins; techniques for crafting wristlets, barrette flowers and chaplets.

Lesson 14, Everlasting Flowers

Types of artificial flowers; designing permanent arrangements with artificial, dried and silk flowers; complementing interiors with silk flowers; drying, freeze-drying and pressing flowers; using plastic flowers; using glue, foam, wire and tape; cleaning and maintaining artificial flowers.

Lesson 15, Oriental Style of Design

Simplicity and symbolism in oriental designs; uses of linear and asymmetrical balance; classic, formal, naturalistic, and abstract flower designs; oriental-style containers and accessories; characteristics of Chinese and Japanese design; Ikebana or Japanese flower arranging.

Lesson 16, Contemporary Design Styles & Techniques

Advanced classic styles: mille fleurs, phoenix, waterfall and Biedermeier designs; botanical, vegetative and landscape designs; linear styles; modernistic trends: sheltered, pavé, new wave and abstract arrangements; basing and uniting techniques.

Lesson 17, Wedding Flowers

Components of the wedding floral package; centerpieces; ceremonial flowers for rituals and celebrations in churches, cathedrals, chapels and synagogues; altars; canopies; pews; bridal bouquets; floral headpieces; bridesmaids’ bouquets; flower girls’ baskets; ushers’ boutonnieres; corsages for relatives; cake flowers; reception flowers; servicing the customer.

Lesson 18, Sympathy Flowers

The meaning of sympathy flowers; religious customs; handling in lieu of flowers requests; funeral terminology; casket sprays, lid insets, standing easels, garlands; grave bouquets; pedestal arrangements; working with families and funeral directors.

Lesson 19, Harvest & Distribution of Flowers

The world flower market; how flower producers, exporters and importers operate; seasonal availability of flowers and plants; harvest, rehydration, packing and shipping; time frame from grower to retailer; working with domestic and foreign growers; buying cut flowers from wholesalers, brokers or auctioneers; storage techniques.

Lesson 20, The Retail Florist Shop

Marketing; visual merchandising: dressing a window or storefront, in-store displays; starting or working in a full-service florist shop; specialty and limited service shops; flower carts; location options: free-standing shops, strip malls, shopping malls, business complexes, downtown offices.

Supplement: The Floral Designer’s Career Search Guide

A manual to assist your career search.

Supplement: Wedding Consulting

Forty to 60 percent of a florist’s revenue comes from weddings. Now you can learn the business side of nuptial flowers: sales techniques; marketing; building referral business; kinds of weddings; and types of flowers needed.

Supplement: The Plant Care Business

Almost $1 billion is spent annually on the care of indoor plants. Find out how it could be possible to create a business by caring for plants in business offices, hotels, stores, restaurants, malls and hospitals. Learn how to provide continuing plant and/or flower services: watering, maintenance, dead leaf removal and plant replacement.

Supplement: Fruit & Gift Basket Making

One of today’s best sellers is the personalized gift basket. Learn how to create these gifts by packaging attractive baskets containing go-together gifts such as fruits, wines, crackers, cheeses, bath soaps, lotions and perfume, coffees, teas, chocolate, candies, gift items and much more.