No crash course in how to become a florist will totally prepare you for the hard work and heartbreak of life as a florist. I say "heartbreak" because customers tend to be nasty to people in the service industry. Oh sure, you'll have plenty of awesome customers, repeat business, and awesome work as a florist, but you tend to remember the bad days more than the good ones.

Learning how to become a florist is tough work. Just because you're working with beautiful delicate little flowers doesn't mean your life will be easy. Here's a brief guide to the different ways of receiving trianing in floral design.

Private Florist Training

The most prestigious form of floral design training comes from private floral design schools. If you come from a rich family or have managed to save a little money, this is your best option. The training you get at one of these private design schools can't be beat. The classes are usually very small, and you can expect training that is hands-on and personalized to your skill and your needs.

Certification

If you have worked in a flower shop for some time and think you have what it takes to pass a certification test in floral design, there's nothing stopping you from signing up for a certification test and earning your "floral design badge" without any formal training. People who worked in their family's flower shop or have some insane inborn ability to design floral arrangements should skip any formal training and test out. Contact your local certification board for more information on when and where to take the floral design certification test.

Junior College Classes

It may not be glamorous, but sometimes the best way to get training in floral design is to earn a two-year degree in applied sciences with an emphasis in floral design. These programs usually take four semesters of school, but on the bright side, they offer lots of financial aid and don't really cost that much to begin with.