Published April 2023

Think back to the last time you celebrated a special occasion — whether it was a wedding, a graduation, a birthday or Valentine’s Day, there’s a good chance that flowers were involved somehow! Dating back to ancient Greece thousands of years ago, gifting a bundle of blossoms to show you care is a longstanding tradition that we still observe today. Something about the comforting fragrance and beautiful colours of a fresh bouquet has the power to bring a unique kind of happiness to almost anyone. While you may think of Sunterra for your fresh produce, local meats and grab ‘n’ go meals, we might not always be top of mind for florals — but we hope to change that as you discover the history of the special relationship behind our flower program. 

For almost 20 years, Sunterra has worked with Luxie Floral; a Calgary-based company founded by flower aficionado Selmitah D’Hill. Like many businesses, Selmitah started small. When her former employer (and our former floral supplier) closed down, she took the opportunity to pick up where they left off and venture out on her own. Drawing on the knowledge and relationships she formed in her previous position, she formed her own floral business based out of her home kitchen — and we’re proud to have been her very first client. 

The relationship began in 2004 when Selmitah got in contact with our West Market Square location to introduce her flowers to our customers. Starting slow with a handful of bouquets at a time, the flowers were a hit, and soon the bright bundles were introduced to more of our market locations across Calgary. In 2021, a transportation system was put in place to get these fantastic florals shipped to our Edmonton and Red Deer locations as well. 

Eventually, as Selmitah’s business grew and expanded, she passed the torch on to her talented team who continue to uphold her standard of excellence. With this growth, Luxie's operations moved into a small warehouse in Kensington. 

“It was a quarter of this,” a Luxie team member explains, gesturing to the much larger, immaculately organized warehouse we’re sitting in that now houses the business as of 2023. 

The principles on which the business was founded are some we are very familiar with ourselves at Sunterra: quality, integrity and customer service. This unity in values is integral to our relationship and provides an excellent foundation on which we have been able to build for the past two decades. 

When it comes to quality, the flowers you’ll find in our markets are exceptional. The varieties are sourced from an array of different countries; Ecuador, Peru, Holland and Guatemala just to name a few! When coming from so far away, it’s easy to place an order with a click of a button without consideration of where the product comes from, but that’s never the case for Luxie. In fact, members of their team have visited every single farm they source from in person. 

“We want to know how the flowers are grown, how they’re actually treating their employees and how environmentally friendly their practices are,” a team member says proudly. “We focus on small growers who actually look after their people.” 

These farms often provide their employees not only with paid work, but education and healthcare as well. Regarding transport, all flowers are delivered by plane instead of a truck which ensures every product is fresh and will have a long-lasting life in customers’ homes. Though many flowers, particularly the tropical ones, cannot be grown locally, Luxie does strive to source as many flowers from within Canada as possible, especially in the summertime. Several greenhouses in B.C. grow daisies, lilies, chrysanthemums and various foliage, giving customers a fresh and local option. 

Luxie’s commitment to providing a great product and outstanding customer service doesn’t stop once the flowers hit our markets, either. Their team takes the time to regularly visit Sunterra Market stores and educate our teams on the best ways to take care of the flowers in-market for our customers. We closely monitor the flowers to ensure the water is changed frequently, they’re protected from the elements and are only on display for a short amount of time. This results in flowers that will stay fresh and bright in your home for days to come when cared for properly. 

Every one of the thousands of bouquets delivered to our stores each month is handmade by one of Luxie’s talented floral arrangers, and each type we carry offers something unique! Most commonly around Easter, you’ll find our signature Dutch tulips that have larger blooms you won’t often get from other florists. Looking to brighten up a room? The distinctive Tropical bouquet is bursting with flowers in vibrant colours we’re not used to seeing in our prairie province. Our bestselling Excellency bouquet combines a selection of different long-lasting flowers in a large bundle for a value worthy of its name! We also offer special bouquets for holidays throughout the year (think romantic reds and pinks for Valentine’s Day and whimsical pastels for Easter). Prefer a more subdued look? Pick up an effortlessly elegant bundle of greens featuring energizing eucalyptus. Luxie’s team is consistently working to develop even more trendy bouquets, many of which we hope to introduce to our markets very soon.

Once you’ve chosen your flowers, it’s important to take care of them at home, too! During our chat, we learned a few secrets to help you keep your blooms looking fresh and beautiful: first, give the ends of your flowers a little half-inch trim with extra sharp scissors or pruning shears to help with water intake, and then change and top up the water in your vase every two to three days. Second, place them out of direct sunlight and away from extreme heat or cold (like windows and drafty doors). Third, keep them at least a few feet away from fruit and veggies! As peculiar as it sounds, ripening fruit and vegetables emit ethylene gas which is detrimental to flower health. Finally, make sure you give your vase a thorough clean between bouquets to remove any remaining bacteria. Follow these tips and you’re sure to keep your bouquets beautiful for days! 

So, on your next grocery trip to one of our markets, be sure to stop and smell the roses (or the tulips, or the daisies). Whether you’re celebrating a loved one or you simply feel like treating yourself to something beautiful, our exquisite bouquets are sure to put a smile on your face and a spring in your step.

“Bringing somebody happiness and bringing joy to people — that’s what makes us love this industry,” a Luxie team member says with a smile. “It’s about sending an emotion in every single petal.”