Think being a florist is just playing with pretty flowers all day? Oh, honey. If only you knew.
From the outside, floral design looks like a pretty sweet gig. You get to work with beautiful flowers, create gorgeous arrangements, and make people happy. And don’t get me wrong, I absolutely love what I do!
But behind every pretty bouquet is a whole lot of work, a little chaos, and probably a few leaves stuck to my clothes.
Welcome to the behind-the-scenes life of a small-town florist.
1. No, I Don't Just Sit Around Smelling Roses
I wish! There are flowers to process, buckets to clean, stems to trim, arrangements to design, orders to organize, and deliveries to make. And just when I think I’ve checked everything off my list, three more things appear.
Running a flower shop means wearing approximately 47 different hats. Floral designer? Yep. Delivery driver? Absolutely. Customer service? Of course. Accountant, photographer, social media manager, and professional problem solver? Apparently, those jobs come with the package, too.
Somewhere in there, I’m also supposed to remember to eat lunch.
2. Flowers Have a Mind of Their Own
If you’ve ever wondered why florists get so excited about a particular flower, it’s because flowers are not all created equal.
Some open beautifully right on schedule. Others decide they’re going to take their sweet time. And sometimes a flower that looked absolutely perfect yesterday wakes up today looking like it has been through a rough weekend.
Fresh flowers are living things, and working with them means learning to work with nature instead of against it.
It’s part of what makes floral design fun, challenging, and never quite the same from one day to the next.
3. Pinterest Is a Wonderful Place... Until Reality Joins the Conversation
Let’s talk inspiration photos.
I love when someone brings me a photo of an arrangement they adore. It gives me a starting point and helps me understand their style.
But flowers are seasonal, availability changes, and nature doesn’t always cooperate with our wish lists. A photo taken in the middle of summer might feature flowers that aren’t available in the fall.
That doesn’t mean we can’t create something beautiful! It just means we may need to get a little creative.
Think of it as the floral version of a recipe. You might not have the exact ingredient, but with the right substitutions, you can still make something wonderful.
And honestly? Sometimes the unexpected combinations end up being the prettiest ones.
4. The Flower Shop Is Never Quite as Clean as the Finished Bouquet
Here’s a little secret: the finished arrangement is the pretty part. Getting there can look like a completely different story.
There are stems, leaves, trimmings, buckets, water, ribbons, and supplies scattered around while the designing happens. It’s not unusual for a florist to finish a beautiful arrangement and then look around at the workspace wondering where on earth to begin cleaning.
And let’s not even discuss how much glitter, greenery, or random plant material can hitch a ride home on your clothes.
If you see me out running errands with a leaf stuck to my shirt, just know it’s probably part of the uniform.
5. The Best Part Isn't Always the Flowers
For all the mess, long to-do lists, and unpredictable stems, there’s a reason I keep doing this.
It’s the personal stories behind the orders.
It’s knowing a bouquet is going to make someone’s birthday a little brighter. It’s helping a bride bring her vision to life. It’s creating something meaningful for a family during a difficult time. It’s getting to be a small part of moments people will remember long after the flowers are gone.
Those are the things that make the busy days worthwhile.
Country Girl Florals started small, and I’m still working every day to grow, improve, and reach more people in our community. Every arrangement is another chance to learn something new and do what I love.
So, What's Next at Country Girl Florals?
One of the things I love most about working with flowers is that there’s always something new around the corner.
Different seasons bring different flowers, new design ideas, and new projects to work on. I’m always looking for ways to grow, try something different, and bring more locally designed flowers to the Honesdale area.
And if there’s one thing I’ve learned, it’s that no two days in this business are exactly alike.
So the next time you see a beautiful bouquet, remember: there’s probably a florist behind it who has a little flower debris in her hair, a dozen things left on her to-do list, and absolutely no regrets about choosing this job.
Well… maybe a few regrets about the glitter.
