NYC’s Floral Design Gems: 10 Classes Locals Love
Welcome to our local guide to the best floral design classes in NYC. Whether you’re looking for a casual floral design class or a professional accreditation to begin or further your career, here you’ll find some of the best floristry schools offering in-person and online floral design classes in New York City today. Enjoy!
The Best Floral Design Classes in NYC:
| More Info: | Online or In-person: | Price: | Book Here: |
| 1) New York Botanical Garden | In-Person | $$$ | nybg.org |
| 2) FlowerSchool New York | In-Person | $$$ | flowerschoolny.com |
| 3) Il Florista | In-Person | $$ | ilfioristanyc.com |
| 4) Stems Brooklyn | In-Person | $$ | stemsbrooklyn.com |
| 5) NY School of Flower Design | In-Person | $$$ | flowerschool101.com |
| 6) Resobox | In-Person | $$$ | resobox.com |
| 7) Skillshare | Online | $ | skillshare.com |
| 8) Udemy | Online | $$ | udemy.com |
| 9) Masterclass | Online | $$ | masterclass.com |
| 10) Team Flower | Online | $$ | teamflower.org |
The Best In-Person Floral Design Classes in NYC:
New York Botanical Garden ($$$)
About:
One of our favorite botanical gardens in the United States, this prestigious organization also offers a wealth of training and educational programs spanning horticulture, plant sciences, and floral design.
The New York Botanical Garden dates all the way back to 1891 and today operates a 250-acre site in the Bronx, NY.
Floral Design Classes in NYC:
NYBG offers both casual and professionally certified floral design training programs. This is one of the oldest and most established Floral Design schools in NYC, so you’re in good hands!
Casual Classes:
NYBG runs a monthly calendar of individual classes (usually 2 to 3 hours in length) covering everything from flower arranging at home, prop styling, guiding shopping tours to the NY Flower Market, color design theory, and much more.
Online floral design classes start from $45, with in-person classes starting from around $90 for NYBG members and $100 for non-members.
Floral Design Certification Programs:
For those interested in pursuing a career in floristry or becoming professionally certified, this program provides you with all the tools necessary for a flourishing career.
Students complete a rigorous training program comprising a minimum of 142 hours of classroom instruction in addition to an 80+ hour internship. Expect to cover everything from a wide variety of floral design techniques to business-based skills training, including marketing, client management, project management, and more.
Intensive Floral Design Programs:
These fast-track programs enable you to achieve all classroom credits necessary for the prestigious NYBG Floral Design Certification in just five weeks. You’ll cover everything from numerous floral design techniques to the foundational business classes needed to thrive in the florist industry.
Prices are $6,435 for NYBC members and $7,079 for non-members.
FlowerSchool New York ($$$)
About:
This popular local floral design school was founded in 2003 by artistic director Eileen Johnson. They’re based in the heart of Chelsea in Manhattan and offer a wealth of floral design programs whether you want to join online or in person.
Floral Design Classes in NYC:
FlowerSchool New York caters to a wide range of experience levels, from beginner-friendly classes to professional programs for these pursuing industry-recognized accreditations.
For enthusiasts, the Beginners Open Studio is one of their most popular classes covering foundational floral design theory and practice. There’s also a range of excellent Masterclasses that typically cover seasonal themes or specific design techniques. These often sell out quickly so be sure to plan ahead. Classes typically range to around $300.
For professional and more formal floristry training, the FlowerSchool New York offers a comprehensive floral design program. This 6-week course covers all aspects of floral design and moves to marketing and business-based competency training to prepare students for their onward careers.
They also partner with several excellent NYC floristry studios to facilitate internships, including the likes of Rachel Cho Floral Design, Élan Flowers, Designs by Ahn, and East Olvia, to name but a few.
The Floral Design Program is currently priced at $8,150.
Il Florista ($$)
About:
This all-day eatery and boutique florist in Flatiron is a lovely local community spot for floral design enthusiasts. The studio’s classes center around seasonal themes and feature local flowers sourced from the nearby Union Square Greenmarket and NY State flower farms such as Luna Family and Amoon Farm.
Floral Design Classes in NYC:
Il Florista offers both scheduled and private, curated floral design classes if you’re looking to book for friends, family, professional events, and more.
Tickets are usually priced around $125 for one of their evening programs, which typically last 90 minutes and focus on seasonal blooms and creative floral design techniques.
Stems Brooklyn ($$)
About:
Founded in 2013 by Suzanna Cameron, this local Brooklyn florist is loved for its commitment to eco-friendly and sustainable floristry practices.
This flower shop was originally a pop-up, but the business has grown to a permanent 1,400 square-foot location in Bushwick today offering an array of floral arrangements, plants, and workshops throughout the year.
Floral Design Classes in NYC:
Stems Brooklyn usually runs 2 or 3 workshops each month. These are always fun, laid-back affairs that blend beginner-friendly floral design techniques, color theory, and floral care with a glass or 2 of wine (or kombucha). Tickets are priced at $130 which includes the tuition, drinks, and a lovely floral design that you can take home at the end.
Private and corporate events can also be booked with the studio.
New York School of Flower Design ($$$)
About:
The New York School of Flower Design was founded by esteemed designer Michael Gaffney who has featured on numerous major networks including the Today Show, and the Hallmark Channel.
Here you’ll find structured yet approachable programs aimed at enthusiasts and those interested in furthering their professional training and qualifications. All in-person classes are held at the school’s dedicated studio in the heart of the NY Flower District.
Floral Design Classes in NYC:
The school’s programs cover a broad and diverse range of classes covering design techniques and theories from Contemporary European to Bridal Floral Design, Ikebana, and Landscape Floral Design techniques.
1-day classes start from $195, with a full-week Masterclass going up to $1,850.
Resobox ($$$)
About:
Resobox was founded by Takashi Ikezawa back in 2011 as a space for exploring and celebrating Japanese art and culture. This multidisciplinary studio in Long Island City serves as both a gallery and workshop covering popular pastimes such as Bonsai, Japanese ink painting, sushi masterclasses, and floral design.
Floral Design Classes in NYC:
Ikebana is the glorious Japanese art of floral design. Here you’ll find several beginner-friendly classes that expertly guide you through the fundamental theory and practical application of this ancient technique.
Small-group evening classes start from $260 and are taught over a 4-course program schedule. Online programs are also available starting from $25 per session.
The Best Online Floral Design Classes in NYC:
Skillshare ($)
About:
Skillshare is an excellent online learning community for the creative industries and is home to 1000s of unique, engaging, and fun courses. While their platform isn’t specifically designed for professionals, I’ve always found their ecosystem easy to use and perfect for those occasions when I’m just exploring a new craft for the first time.
Online Floral Design Classes in NYC:
First-time users of the Skillshare platform might find the number of courses available a little overwhelming at first glance so it’s worth sorting through by ‘Staff Picks’ and ‘Total Student Enrollments’ to get a feel for what’s popular and worth investing some time in.
Expect lots of options spanning bouquet design through to vase arrangements, color theory, centerpieces, Ikebana, contemporary techniques, and more. As this is online learning, you’ll need to source stems, vases, and some other basic essentials ahead of each module.
Annual subscriptions to Skillshare work out at a very affordable $14 per month with individual and one-off plans from $36 per month.
Udemy ($$)
About:
Udemy is a slick online learning platform that features a range of floral design classes for both beginners and more advanced students.
While similar to Skillshare in some ways, these classes are purchased ‘à la carte’ as opposed to buying access to every course on the platform, you simply pick those best suited to you.
Floral Design Classes in NYC:
Here you’ll find everything from foundational ‘Floral Design 101’ course programs through to more advanced Wedding Design, Fusion Techniques, and Artistic floral installations. I’ve found the courses easy to follow and professionally put together.
Individual courses start from $17.99 and typically take anywhere from 1 to 4 hours to complete. Note that you’ll need to purchase flowers and supplies ahead of time for the practical stages of each class.
Masterclass ($$)
About:
If you’re not familiar with Masterclass, they’re a modern streaming platform centered around word-class teachers across a wide range of industries and disciplines. Here you’ll find everything from Mariah Carey teaching you how to sing, learning to cook with Gordon Ramsay, and exploring leadership skills with the likes of Bill Clinton. What’s great is Masterclass platform is accessible from any device so you can watch and learn from home and whilst you’re on the move.
Floral Design Classes in NYC:
The Masterclass floral design series is curated by the award-winning floral designer Maurice Harris. This curriculum follows six learning segments starting from foundational floral design theory and works through how to create beautiful table arrangements, single-stem vases, seasonal bouquets, holiday wreaths, and signature floral designs that best demonstrate your own unique creative style.
I found the course very accessible for beginners and also provided some useful theories for more advanced floral designers. It’s all wrapped up and presented in a slick package that is easy to digest and fun to follow.
Annual membership plans start from $180 ($15 per month).
Team Flower ($$)
About:
This relative newcomer to the world of floristry and floral design education has an ever-evolving global community of professionals and budding enthusiasts today. Here you’ll find a wealth of online resources, guides, online classes and webinars, in-person workshops, and much more.
Floral Design Classes in NYC:
Online classes at Team Flower cover a range of different competencies across the floristry industry including floral design theory and practice, flower business classes, and flower growing masterclasses.
Classes are typically tailored to the budding enthusiast or those looking to expand their professional credentials. Expect circa 6 hours of online classroom training and lots of useful notes to be included.
Prices start from $499 which includes lifetime access to the course materials and the Team Flower community.
NYC Floral Design Classes FAQs:
How much do online floral design classes cost?
Beginner-friendly floral design classes taught online start from as low as $15. Professional certification programs taught by a prominent floral design school can cost anywhere up to $8,000 typically.
Do I need to provide flowers and other materials for online floral design classes?
Yes, most classes will require that you purchase a selection of flowers, vases, and other materials ahead of commencing the class so you’re able to follow the program through practical application.
Where can you study to become a florist or floral designer?
Floristry and floral design-specific classes are available both online and in person.
Can you be a self taught florist?
Many professional florists have received either informal training or are self-taught. Formal training programs and tuition from some of the best floral design schools can be invaluable though in terms of expediting your training and expanding your skill set across multiple competency areas.
Do florists make good money?
The base salary for floral designers typically ranges anywhere from $40,000 to $70,000 according to popular job boards such as Indeed. Retail florists generate on average circa $360,000 in annual revenue according to the Society of American Florists.
How long does it take to train as a florist?
Intensive floristry training programs can provide with you a solid foundation in as little as 6 weeks though typically a period of 18 months to 2 years is considered average to train as a florist.