At 21, Martine Boylan is already manager of a floristry business. Working in Justyne's in The Square, Tallaght, Dublin, her progress has been meteoric. Ironically, after completing her Leaving Cert in Our Lady of Mercy, Drimnagh, Martine says she decided to do childcare but she didn't get a place.

She had always been interested in art, drawing and making things, so her guidance counsellor suggested the floristry course in Crumlin College. "I thought I might as well give it a go."

The amount of theory, particularly on the business side, surprised her. "But, I found it very good." She spent one day a week on work experience in Fleming's Florist, Crumlin. After getting her NCVA qualification, she got a job as a trainee florist with Justyne's in the Irish Life Mall in the centre of Dublin. "I started off learning how to make bows with ribbons and from there I progressed to doing greenery and taking orders."

Valentine's Day and Christmas provided an insight into just how hectic the job could get, she said. Justyne's moves its florists around its various branches so Martine got experience in working in various places.

Martine also learned about the international side of the business - how the Interflora system works, how to send an order abroad, taking telephone orders. Martine took the three Interflora exams which included a two-hour practical exam where four floristry pieces were examined by external examiners from England. There is also a retail skills exam and a procedures exam. Different countries have different customs when it comes to flowers, explains Martine, so it may not be acceptable to send a bouquet to a funeral in one country while it is perfectly fine in another. The florist should be able to advise the customer as to the best procedure.

Exams behind her, Martine is now concentrating her creative energies on competitions. She came second last year in the Interflora under-23 competition. There is a series of these competitions and the overall winner goes to a final in London. Martine is doing well this year also, she says, but it's too early to know how it will work out.

A typical day for Martine begins at 8.45 a.m. when she receives fresh stock from the central base in Sandyford Industrial Estate. The vases and buckets are washed and the flowers must be conditioned. She and her two staff strip off the greenery and cut the stems with a knife to open them. Different flowers require different treatment.

The telephone rings all day, she says, and the orders must be made up in time for the delivery service. Her favourite business is when a customer walks in and asks her to make up a special bouquet . . . whatever she thinks best. "I love people coming in and asking for flowers for birthdays and babies . . . I can do something nice and bright and colourful . . . you meet lots of different people - people treating themselves or others - so it's never the same." She is also involved in training people for their floristry exams.

The hours are dictated by the shopping centre opening hours so she must work late on Thursdays and, if she works Saturdays, she takes a day off during the week. The day ends at about 6 p.m. when the shop must be tidied.

And her favourite flower? "The pink rose called Vivaldi - it's just beautiful."