06/04/2026
Students were blooming in the classroom with the Retail Floriculture Program.
Perfect for plant lovers, Humber’s Retail Floriculture Program offered a unique experience for students. Beginning in the 1970s, the Retail Floriculture Program was a 2 year program where students studied the practice of floral arranging (including design, storage methods, special arrangement techniques, colour coordination, and more) in addition to the practical management of running a floral shop. This was a very hands-on program with the opportunity to work in floral shops, including Humber’s very own, integrated into the program.
The Humber College Flower Shop was part of the hands-on portion of the Retail Floriculture Program. Second year students would rotate as weekly managers of the store and were responsible for store operations such as ordering, pricing, advertising, and accounting. Students made the day-to-day decisions and learned practical skills alongside the floral training. The Humber Flower Shop was very successful. It was a community hub – it fulfilled special orders for weddings, funerals, and campus events. The Retail Floriculture Program ended in the 1990s but the program is remembered through its impact on the Humber and surrounding communities.
What unique program do you want to find out more about next? Stay tuned for the next post soon! Can't wait that long? Visit us in “The Wonder Room” on the first floor of the Student Welcome and Resource Centre, open Monday-Friday from 10-2.
Photos from the Humber Archives