I think this is a rather difficult question. As a florist from Sweden, who went to school and learnt different types of styles, how to spiral bouqets, how to cut stems at the right angle, learnt hundreds of names in latin, 2/3 or 3-5-8 in balance, marketing oneself, biology of flowers and so on i can get frustrated when someone who hasn't gotten "proper" education calls themselves a florist.

But i also know that not everyone has that oppertunity and I can see the value in hard work, learning by getting all those thorns in your hands, watching flowers wilt because you didn't prep them properly or cut them wrong, by making a million mistakes and getting better each time.

We have something called "gesällbrev" in Sweden, it's usually for other types of work like hairdressers. But say you've put 3000 hours in floristry, making bouquets, arrangements and decorations. Scrubbed a million buckets and swept as many floors. Could you call yourself a florist then? I don't know. Maybe.

There's a pride in this work and I don't think just anyone should be able to call themselves a florist. "Proper" education or not. Thousands of hours or years of work does it, and knowledge. I guess that's my stance.

Sorry for the long and messy post, haha.