In this Q&A, we ask our Floral Dept. team about their unique offering, which can include everything from custom floral arrangements, bouquets, and plant-care tips to keep your greens growing and your flowers blooming.
The experts in our Floral Dept. are deeply rooted in the art of everything plant- and flower-related. We asked our team about their unique offering, which can include everything from custom floral arrangements, bouquets, and plant-care tips to keep your greens growing and your flowers blooming.
While not all stores have the capacity to be considered full floral-design studios (check with your local store to verify our services), the stores that are have the ability to consult and design floral needs for weddings, funerals, and special occasions such as anniversaries, graduations, corporate events, family reunions, gender reveals, and more.
We start by asking about the occasion, who it’s for, if they’re OK with fragrance, the budget, preferred colour schemes, and if pick-up or delivery is needed. Then, we tailor the bouquet or arrangements to meet their needs!
There are some flowers we carry year-round. We also offer seasonal flowers and try to order local during this time. During Easter, for example, we bring in bright Easter lilies and hydrangeas! In summer, we carry sunflowers and dahlias.
Sure! Since Easter is around the corner, here are some tips for Easter lilies:
- Choose a plant with just one or two blooms open or partially open, with the remaining blooms yet to open. As the flowers mature, remove the yellow anthers before the pollen starts to shed; this extends the flower’s life and prevents pollen from staining the white petals. When a mature flower starts to wither, cut it off to make the plant more attractive and make room to enjoy the fresh, newly opened blooms.
- Easter lilies prefer moderately cool temperatures, with daytime temperatures around 16°C to 19°C, and slightly cooler at night. The lilies will thrive near a window in bright, indirect natural daylight, but avoid glaring, direct sunlight.
- Avoid placing plants near drafts, and avoid exposure to excess heat or dry air from appliances, fireplaces, or heating ducts.
- Lilies prefer moist, well-drained soil. Water thoroughly when the soil surface feels dry to a light touch (but avoid overwatering!). If the pot is wrapped in decorative foil, be careful not to let the plant sit trapped in standing water.
Another spring and summer favourite is the hydrangea. We offer potted blooms that are easy to care for:
- The most important thing to remember is that they love water. Always keep the soil moist, without letting it get waterlogged.
- To prolong blooming, place in a bright but cool location away from strong, direct sunlight, especially at night.
- When the blooms have faded, and after any danger of frost, the hydrangea can be planted outside. Remove any faded flowers and plant in a rich, loamy soil in a semi-shaded location that gets plenty of moisture.
We carry a variety of ready-made bouquets, from $14.99 to $39.99, using a selection of fresh flowers to reflect the season.
We love it when customers pick out bunches of our mix-and-match (3 for $21) options on their own. We can put these together as a bouquet for no charge, and if they like, we can arrange the flowers in a vase with greens, fillers and a bow for an additional charge.
Using Floral Life is good for our everyday bouquets, but remember, bulb cuts can only use bulb food. Keeping your water-filled container free from bacteria and away from heat sources or direct sunlight is also key to the longevity of the flowers; changing the water and giving the flowers a fresh cut every two to three days is optimal.
You can order your floral arrangement, whether ready-made or customized to your needs, in person, over the phone ( 1-800-900-6574), and online.
We particularly enjoy summer gladiolas, sunflowers, and dahlias.
A select number of Sobeys stores offer a full-serve floral capacity; please check with your local store to verify that we can help with custom wedding bouquets.
Unfortunately, we don’t provide samples. Customers often bring in pictures, and we advise if we have those flowers. If we don’t, we will offer to substitute it with another kind of flower.
A select number of Sobeys stores offers a full-serve floral capacity; please check with your local store to verify that we can deliver.
We also offer balloon bouquets, complimentary floral wrapping, and unique holiday baskets including fruit baskets and various sizes of plush animals. We sell seasonal bulbs and seeds, garden soils, and plant care. We have a variety of hanging baskets made of vegetables as well as flowers.
Do you provide accessories, such as vases, for those who might want them?
First, we recommend researching the kind of soil your plant needs. Next, ensure that you’ve got the best light exposure and location to plant it in, and know your plant’s watering requirements.
We’d start by asking what kinds of flowers they had in their wedding bouquet and suggesting we use those flowers for a nostalgic feeling. If they’re having a party, we’d recommend table centrepieces, plus a corsage and a boutonniere, as well as an arrangement, to be presented to the couple.
Roses are the ultimate flower for graduation celebrations. They show up well in pictures, especially wrapped in presentation style. Red is usually the most requested colour, but any colour is special for graduation.
