Retail Floral Design

STOCKSCH 210 – 3 credits

Instructor: Sarah Berquist,  she/her/hers

Contact Information: sbberqui@umass.edu

*Email is the very best way to get in touch with me!

Office Hours: Email me to make an appointment via Phone or Zoom!

ABOUT THE INSTRUCTOR:  

I have been engaged in sustainable agriculture and food systems work for the last 16+ years. I currently teach, advise, and provide leadership for the Sustainable Food & Farming campus program at UMass.  

My approach to teaching is student-centered, participatory, emergent, inclusive, and experiential.  I love to create and hold spaces, both on campus and online, where learning flows in all directions, and am truly grateful for all that I learn with and from my students. 

Beyond my work at UMass: I run a small floral production and design side hustle, and also love practicing dance and swimming. Excited to work with you this semester!

Course Overview:

Cut flowers can be a high-value specialty crop for growers at both small and larger scales. The value of flowers further increases with basic design skills. In this course, you will gain familiarity with how farmer-florists, studio florists, and horticulturalists are producing, using, and designing locally grown cut flowers across various contexts.  You will examine the floral production as it intersects with design, explore selecting appropriate design-friendly cultivars for various markets, and examine basic principles of harvest and post-harvest physiology.

You will be learning basic design principles and immediately putting them into practice to create arrangements on your own.   You will practice skills for making balanced market bouquets, centerpieces, and creative arrangements for events.  We will also learn fundamentals required for making large-format arrangements and installations with an emphasis on sustainable approaches and reusable foam-free mechanics. For your practice arrangements, you will be required to source some of your own ingredients, see below for details.

Course Learning Objectives:

By the end of this course you will be able to:

  • Identify and explain how the 4-5 categories of floral shapes are used in floral arranging
  • Consider common vessel shapes and practice creating arrangements appropriate for a variety of occasions
  • Explore and practice creating arrangements that consider color palettes suitable for a variety of occasions
  • Articulate the significance of sustainability in the floral industry and draw inspiration from farmer-florists and design studios practicing sustainable floral design
  • Engage in peer feedback processes in written work critically researching and evaluating contemporary examples of sustainable floral design in action
  • Grapple with complexity of big issues such as justice, poverty, labor and examine solutions, strategies and approaches for working toward sustainable, equitable floral industry practices
  • Explore personal style in creating floral designs 
  • Practice self-reflection through self-evaluation processes

Broader course Goals:

I am most excited for this opportunity to integrate theory, practice, technique, and play with flowers.  My hope is we will individually and collectively explore our styles while growing more confident in creating balanced bouquets, arrangements, and working with flowers in general. I offer a variety of methods for sharing content coupled with a mix  of assessments to maximize engagement.  This should be an inclusive community space to be curious, learn, and have fun together! Students with all levels of experience and interest are welcome. 

Grading:

Your grade will be updated frequently and you will accumulate points over the semester as you complete your assignments.   Points will be awarded for completion of activities outlined below. 200 points is the maximum points to be earned.

  1. Canvas Discussions (7 discussions X 15 pts each=105 points total)

Each week there will be a mix of: required readings, videos, video “lecturettes” and demonstrations from me, podcasts, and/or other course media. You will reflect on this material  AND engage in hands-on practice with your own floral creations and participate in a peer feedback process with your classmates.  Each discussion is worth 15 points total (10 points per post, 5 points for providing peer feedback to 2 peers) 

DUE DATES: POSTS are due on Sundays 11:59pm, Peer Feedback is due on Tuesdays 11:59pm unless otherwise noted.

  1. Case Study Presentation Assignment & Peer Feedback  (25 points total)

Overview: A video recorded slideshow assignment that surveys, compiles and analyzes features and examples of existing flower operations, farmer-florists, and/or design studios to inform and reflect on your own design style. This assignment will also include completing a more in depth peer review of a classmate’s work (assigned by Sarah) following prompts on Canvas. 

This project will utilize Zoom (to record if desired), Google Docs, Google Slides/PowerPoint and/or a video made with a camera (if preferred). You will choose operations to research that aligns with your interest and follow the guidelines to research their design work, and if/how they embody principles of sustainable practices in floral design that align with your own values. You will present your findings in a simple recorded video presentation.

  1. Design Challenge  (20 points total)

Following  the shape and color inspiration provided, you will practice flower math to create a recipe for a large format floral installation (arbor, floral wall,etc).  This project will be done in small groups and will include ingredient and supply sourcing, recipe calculations, and offer practice for step by step thinking of logistics required for event work.

  1. Final Portfolio (30 points total)

You will compile the work, practice, evolution, and exploration of your semester  through creating a digital portfolio with photos, inspiration, and written reflections.   A short 1 page marketing and retail plan will complement your compilation, highlighting key learnings in design basics, exploration of your own style, approaches to sustainable floristry, retail in floristry, and more.  More details forthcoming! 

  1. Self Assessments & Evaluations (20 points total)

A mid -semester and final self-assessment (5 pts each-Google Forms) are required as well as final course evaluation (5pts emailed survey).  Pre-course assessment is also required (5pts- Google Forms). 

Textbook & Materials:

A Year In Flowers: Designing Gorgeous Arrangements For Every Season by Erin Benzakein 

Additional readings and course media available on Canvas. A Journal or notebook (or digital equivalent) is required and MATERIALS  as outlined here.

Other courses I teach include:

  • Agricultural Leadership & Community Education I (STOCKSCH 263)*
  • Agricultural Leadership & Community Education II (STOCKSCH 397AL)
  • Introduction to Sustainable Agriculture & Food Systems (STOCKSCH 165)
  • Retail Floral Design (STOCKSCH 210)*
  • Capstone in Sustainable Food & Farming (STOCKSCH 485)
  • Wellness for Beginning Farmers (STOCKSCH 197P)
  • Organic Gardening & Farming (STOCKSCH 120)*

*= offered online through UWW, otherwise offered on campus at UMass

This class fulfills requirements for the 15-credit Online Horticulture Certificate, the Sustainable Food and Farming Online Certificate Program and will count toward the Associate of Science degree as well as the Online B.S. degree.  Online classes cost $550/credit.