Florist Spotlight – Petersen & Tietz Florists & Greenhouses

Petersen & Tietz Florists & Greenhouses in Waterloo, Iowa is a third-generation full-service florist, greenhouse and interiorscape maintenance business.

FTD spoke with Heidi De Silva about the shop’s rich history and why the floral industry is so special.

Tell us about your business and how you got started in the floral industry.

The business began in 1934 when our grandparents, Pete & Margaret Petersen, sold vegetable seedlings to co-workers at Rath Packing Co. in Waterloo, Iowa. Around 1942, Margaret went to Chicago to learn the Art of Floral Design at Kennicott Bros. Wholesale Florist.

Today, I am a third-generation owner and grew up helping in the flower shop and greenhouses. My dad taught me how to disbud mums when I was five years old. My love for Natural Sciences was born. The colors, textures, fragrances, plant habits and being surrounded by them helped me decide to pursue my B.S. in Horticulture at Iowa State University. I joined the Ball Horticulture Company in West Chicago, IL as a Product Manager for Spring & Flowering Plants in 1981. I returned home to Waterloo in time for poinsettia season in 1989. This is an industry where there is always something new to explore.

Heidi Tietz De Silva and her father Ted in 1959

What are some of the unique challenges and rewards of being a local florist?

I think our biggest challenge is letting people know about the many wonderful things the floral industry can do for them. As we begin our 92^nd year in business, it is both a blessing and a curse to be the local florist. Potential customers can think we are old fashioned while others perceive that we are knowledgeable. Getting our message out is a challenge. But when it works and people show up for events or call in for flowers and tell us how we make them feel, that’s the reward.

What is a particularly memorable or meaningful experience you've had with a customer?

The special times are the full circle moments. Two daughters were planning their mom’s funeral tribute. She started bringing them to our business in the 1950s. They even showed me the photo that our local newspaper had taken of them with my grandpa on one occasion. They grew up and moved away, but whenever they came to town, they would bring their mom to visit us. When she developed dementia, they sent her flowers every month from us. They said she didn’t remember much, but she knew when her flowers were coming. It was a gentle reminder of what flowers convey: comfort, happiness, joy, love, memories and more.

How do you maintain a personal touch and build relationships with customers in your community?

We reach out by joining and serving. Our staff are on various boards of directors and partners with local schools. We also collaborate with other locally owned businesses to cross market. We host speaking engagements and demonstrations for groups, as well as fun activities like Book Club, Plant Bingo and Floral Design classes regularly. We want people to know we are very approachable and helpful.

Petersen & Tietz Florists & Greenhouses delivery van

What advice would you give to someone looking to start a career in the floral industry?

There is always something new to learn – new flower varieties, new plants and new techniques. It is a very stimulating industry - 50% of what you provide is the product, 50% is the service. It must be your passion. It is a lot of physical and emotional work with incredibly satisfying results. You can make a difference. If you love what you do, it will never be work.

What led you to become a member of the FTD network?

My grandparents joined FTD as Petersen’s Flowers in 1953. In 1965, our business name changed to Petersen & Tietz Florists & Greenhouses when my parents and uncle took over. FTD was the way to connect people with flowers and expand our business worldwide. Today, FTD also provides some great technology to make our unique floral industry easier to navigate. We look forward to FTD using their buying power to secure better pricing of hardgoods.

Tell us anything else of interest about your business.

Our mission is to share our passion and knowledge of plants and flowers so that others may have success and be able to fully enjoy and understand how plants and flowers enhance our lives and the lives of those that receive them as gifts.

The Petersen & Tietz team celebrates Valentine’s Day in 2025.