The History of Sending Flowers Gives Birth to a Term Named Florist

The definition of a florist according to (Darsono, Agustinus 1995: 31) is "an officer who is responsible for providing, arranging, and replacing flower bouquets installed in special locations within the hotel" but along with the current development of florists as an institution of its own by having own store or even show room. The creation of this florist cannot be separated from the needs of the community that continue to increase and develop all the time, the presence of flower arrangements seems to be an icon for every event from births, sick people, weddings, promotions to death.

Launching from Britanica, wreaths have been used since time immemorial. In ancient times, wreaths were given to public officials, athletes, poets, or warriors who returned home after fighting. Wreaths in Ancient Egypt were most popular in the form of prayer beads which were made by sewing flowers onto linen ribbons and tying them to the head. Whereas in ancient Greece, wreaths were usually made of olive, pine, laurel, or celery and given to Olympic athletes. Wreaths are part of the art of flower arrangement which are arranged in various creative forms. The flower arrangement becomes a certain symbolism, depending on the selection of the type of flower. In culture in some Asian and Middle Eastern countries, certain flowers are considered sacred and related to spirituality. In the Victorian era, flowers had special meanings. Like chamomile flowers as an expression of 'patience' from lovers to their partners. The art of flower arrangement originated in Egypt since 2500 BC. From the artifacts found by archaeologists, it looks like a bouquet of flowers in a vase. The series of decorations with flowers can also be seen from the reliefs on the mummy. These flowers are a religious symbol as well as purity.

The development of the times also influenced the shape of the wreath. During the Renaissance (1400 to 1600), floral wreath designs also marked the beginning of an era of progress in Europe. The style of Renaissance-era wreaths was influenced by classical Greek, Roman and Byzantine styles. At this time, people in Europe really enjoyed the arrangements with lots of flowers. They use a lot of wreaths in churches. The most widely used flowers are roses and lilies.

Then in the 18th century, in the Netherlands, flower arrangements were used to decorate the homes of officials and wealthy families. This custom also spread in England. The type of flower arrangement that was popular at that time was "Tussie-Mussie or Posy". A tussie-mussie flower arrangement is a circular bouquet of flowers that carries a symbolic meaning based on the language of flowers. The flowers given will represent certain feelings.

Entering the modern era in the 20th century, flower bouquets are increasingly varied in shape and type. Starting from bouquets, standing flowers to bouquets formed using boards.

Currently, there are many florists who have sprung up, especially in the midst of the current pandemic, from affordable ones to exclusive levels, all present to meet the needs of events in this era. One example is Cece Florist, which is located in West Jakarta, providing flower arrangements for various events, but according to the business owner, it is also possible to provide other flower arrangements according to the increasingly varied needs of customers today. Apart from Cece Florist, there are still many other florists in Jakarta, more than hundreds of offline and online stores, this proves that sending flowers is something that people are starting to do naturally.