• Floral designers, or florists, cut live, dried, or silk flowers and other greenery and arrange them into displays of various sizes and shapes.
• These workers design displays by selecting flowers, containers, and ribbons and arranging them into bouquets, corsages, centrepieces of tables, wreaths, etc. for weddings, funerals, holidays, and other special occasions.
• Some floral designers also use accessories such as balloons, candles, toys, candy, and gift baskets as part of their displays.
• Job duties often vary by employment setting. Most floral designers work in small independent floral shops that specialize in custom orders and also handle large orders for weddings, caterers, or interior designers.
• Floral designers may meet with customers to discuss the arrangement or work from a written order.
• They note the occasion, the customer's preferences, the price of the order, the time the floral display or plant is to be ready, and the place to which it is to be delivered. For special occasions, floral designers usually will help set up floral decorations.
• Floral designers also will prearrange a few displays to have available for walk-in customers or last-minute orders.
• Some floral designers also assist interior designers in creating live or silk displays for hotels, restaurants, and private residences.
• A number of floral designers work in the floral departments of grocery stores or for Internet florists, which specialize in creating prearranged floral decorations and bouquets.
• These floral retailers also may fill small custom orders for special occasions and funerals, but most grocery store florists do not deliver to clients or handle large custom orders.
• Florists who work for wholesale flower distributors assist in the selection of different types of flowers and greenery to purchase and sell to retail florists.
• Wholesale floral designers also select flowers for displays that they use as examples for retail florists.
• Self-employed floral designers must handle the various aspects of running their own businesses, such as selecting and purchasing flowers, hiring and supervising staff, and maintaining financial records.
• Self-employed designers also may run gift shops or wedding consultation businesses in addition to providing floral design services.
• Some conduct design workshops for amateur gardeners or others with an interest in floral design.

• The need for floral designers will decline as people purchase fewer elaborate floral decorations for their everyday lives.
• Even though more people will demand fresh flowers in their homes and offices, as competition from grocery stores lowers the cost of flowers and increases the convenience of buying them, these flower arrangements tend to be simpler than those from traditional retail florists and, therefore, require fewer designers.
• On the other hand, this decline may be moderated by the continued demand for floral decorations, due to increases in the number and lavishness of weddings and other special events.
• Mass merchandisers like grocery stores offer cheaper and simper flower arrangements, at much greater convenience, than small retail florists do.
• Specialty floral retailers will continue to be needed for custom orders but are being steadily replaced when it comes to everyday sales.
• Job opportunities should be good, because many people leave their jobs, particularly in retail florists, due to comparatively low wages and limited opportunities for advancement.
• Opportunities should be good in grocery store and Internet floral shops, as sales of floral arrangements from these outlets grow.
• Prearranged displays and gifts available in these stores appeal to consumers because of the convenience and because of prices that are lower than can be found in independent floral shops.
• As mass marketers capture more of the small flower orders, independent floral shops are increasingly finding themselves under pressure to remain profitable.
• Many independent shops have added online ordering systems to compete with Internet florists.
• Others are trying to distinguish their services by specializing in certain areas of floral design or by combining floral design with event planning and interior design services.
• Some florists also are adding holiday decorating services in which they will set up decorations for businesses and residences.
• Discretionary spending on flowers and floral products is highly sensitive to the state of the economy, and during economic downturns employment may fall off as floral expenditures decline.

Other art and design occupations include Artists and related workers; Commercial and industrial designer; Floral designer; Graphic designer; Interior designer; Landscaping architect.

Other occupations involved directly with plants and flowers include Agricultural and food scientists; Agricultural workers, others.

Floral design is the only design occupation that does not require formal postsecondary training; most floral designers learn their skills on the job. Employers generally look for high school graduates who have creativity, a flair for arranging flowers, and a desire to learn.