HORT 2250 is the hidden gem of Auburn University electives.

I thought this was just going to be another “easy A” elective, but I was wrong; this class was much more.

When I started floral design, my flower knowledge was basically nonexistent. I knew what some flowers were called, but I had no idea how clueless I actually was. While my expectation was to play with flowers every class period, that’s not actually what happened. Instead, we had lecture at the beginning of the week and made our floral creations in the later part.

The first week, we were immediately thrown in. Dr. Robinson, my floral design professor, had us make boutonnieres and corsages. Not going to lie, I was petrified. I really thought you had to be an expert to make them. After an hour and a half of instruction and determination, I actually did it.

As the weeks went on, we were quizzed on different flowers and plants we had worked with. By the end of the semester, I knew the name, genus, and function of 42 flowers. The crazy thing is, I still know their names to this day.

One thing you’ll learn is that floral design is a lot more intricate than you’d expect. From container size to arrangement style, you have to plan out every aspect before you start. I also had no idea floral foam was a thing. Basically, floral foam is foam soaked in water and preservatives that’s used to hold designs in place.

This class was extremely educational, but I also made great friends and gained confidence in my creativity. HORT 2250 has only around 30 students enrolled, which allowed me to get to know my classmates on a more personal level. Each week, it got easier to show off my designs. While you do follow Dr. Robinson’s models, you’re encouraged to add your own little twists.

For the grand finale, we had to create a final design for a grade. Dr. Robinson had a hat filled with floral designs we had to choose from, and whichever one you pulled, you had to create. This might sound terrifying, but it honestly wasn’t. The final design was probably the one I had the most fun with. The room was overwhelmed with flowers, and we had complete control over our designs.

Leaving this class for the last time filled me with mixed emotions. I got so used to seeing these people every week, and it was weird to think this was the end. Everyone was sad, but we were proud to finish the class with a bang.

Next time you think about taking an elective, I urge you to choose floral design! While bringing home flowers every week is a huge perk, you’ll also gain an significant amount of self-confidence and even some new friends.

Have any other amazing electives you want us to highlight? Let us know in by tagging us on social media, @AuburnCampusRec!

Be well, Auburn.

Photography: Abbey C.