I completed the Bloom College career change course in 2019 in Alyssa’s Collingwood studio after enrolling in Yvette’s Flower Basics course earlier that year.

After graduating, I placed an ad on Gumtree seeking work as a florist assistant and from this I was contacted by a business based in Brisbane that specialises in pop up creative workshops. They asked me to run some flower crown workshops that they had bookings for in Melbourne for hen’s functions. This was a lovely gentle way to begin working with flowers and people. It was a delight to be part of such a happy and receptive groups of women, and whilst working on their crowns, they often spoke quite candidly about life in general.

With the onset of COVID, online flower orders took off and that opened my next door. I began working for LVLY, making jar posies by the bucket load to keep up with the overnight demand. Whilst not working directly with my customers, I worked with small teams of florists and learnt so much from each of them, as their backgounds were so varied.

As restrictions eased, so did the online demand, but now I had some resume experience which I took to a lovely florist business in my local area (Mornington Peninsula) called Tully’s. They hired me and I can honestly say I have the best job I could ever wish for. I work with beautiful product, in a lovely setting as part of a small team. We share the week between us.

Apart from being able to make beautiful things each day, the hidden aspect of floristry has revealed itself – people share their stories with you when they buy flowers, and you can be part of the joy or give support and presence when the situation is not a happy one. You know if you have done well by the look in the customer’s eye.

As well as all of this, I am often called on for random everyday flower deliveries for friends and their contacts, which is an additional element.

One of the best aspects of being a florist is being able to walk around with the inner tools to look at flowers and foliage and create something of beauty wherever you happen to be, and the constant learning and development that comes from being part of an evolving industry.

Training at Bloom would have to be one of the best things I have ever chosen to do in my life.

Best regards,

Judith Harvey

Please follow Judith’s journey via Instagram:

@judithplainandsimple

@simplestems_