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Monica Bodden reporting
Selflorals Design first opened its doors for business in September of last year and since then the small scale floral store has been blooming with business.

It is owned by this lovely couple - Celbert Butler and Claudia Zetina. Zetina had been a florist for the last 16 years before venturing off into her own business.

Monica Bodden
"I understand that you have been a florist for quite a while. Tell me why you decided to open your own floral store?"

Claudia Zetina - Owner, Selflorals Design
"Because I know that it is time for it. I have worked for 16-18 years for other floral shops, so it's time to open my own."

Celbert Butler - Owner Selfloras
"I always believe that you need to go on your own and I realize that she is an excellent florist. I could safely say without patting my hand on my back that she is one of the best florists. If you look at those arrangements, it clearly tells that we are in a different league because for this valentines we decide that we don't want to make the conventional stuff, we make a little bit of those but we need to take it up another notch. As you look around we have teddy bears, we have dogs from flowers, we have baskets, we have things for male, for female, for every single person's needs. You can get a rose for $10, say I love you with a rose for $10 from Selflorals. You could get something for $35, $45, $55 - you get a dozen roses wrap nicely for $100. You can get something with a nice vase for $125. You could actually bring your stuff to this shop and we will wrap it for you and we will just charge you a nice fee. If you have wine, chocolates and you want to set with a rose, just bring it and we will do it for you."

Claudia Zetina - Owner, Selflorals Design
"When you love flowers, the time that you see flowers, you already know how to do the bouquets and all of those things."

It's the store's first Valentine's Day hustle and bustle - but so far, they seem to be handling the pressure of preparation like pro's.

Celbert Butler - Owner Selfloras
"It has been very hectic. It started out like 2 weeks ago; started looking at all the vases and doing all the preparation work. The flowers are imported into the country, so you have to make sure that you have all your permits, you have to make sure that everything is right and then you have to go to Chetumal and you have to sit and wait until this big truck arrive from Mexico with all the flowers, so it's a lot of work. It's very tiresome, but it's rewarding in the end because you get to see people smile - when these guys takes these nice bouquets to their wives they will love it. Sometimes myself I deliver and then I see those smiles on their faces and then I realize that you know what, I even like what I do even far more."

And it's not too late to surprise your special someone with a bouquet of flowers for Valentine's Day. You can visit the store downstairs of the Commercial Centre.

And from newcomers to veterans…it is now 40 years since Florasol first opened its doors - and today, owner, Soli Arguelles spoke to us about the growth of the floral industry in Belize.

Soli Arguelles - Owner, Florasol
"Well we started small, but I am noticing now that people are really into lots of flowers and the tourism industry has really made it bloomed. We have destination weddings that are a big plus for every hotelier and I notice in my business that we as Belizeans are appreciating a lot more the tropical and the orchids that are growing in the country. I feel that there is such an appreciation for flowers. My motto is "we make people feel good and we make people bloom" and that's what I like to see that when people come into buy, even people stop to just look at flowers and that what's delightful - it gives you a better aura - It makes you feel good."

And there are some Valentine's preferences other than red roses - to fill those Valentine's Day bouquets.

Soli Arguelles - Owner, Florasol
"As usual it's seasonal. The top brand for valentines is roses, but I am noticing now they are variations. They want to do lilies - they want a mix of bouquet. They want to include tropical because they are so vibrant and tropical makes everything looks pretty because they are in bright reds, there is one called the firebird that really looks like a flame and I notice that people will ask you for a rose or two but they still want the lilies, the carnations, the daisies and if you throw a few orchids then that's a big plus."

"Valentine use to be in my shop one day. Today it's become Christmas - they ordered their valentine flowers and mother's day. My valentine starts the 1st of February. I start receiving flowers and we have there again a lot of weddings happening on the weekends, so we have to wait and do weddings also. Valentine has grown into chocolates, teddy bears and all the rest, but there is always that fresh flower that people will always want."

The store was one of the first to introduce floral arrangements in Belize.

Soli Arguelles - Owner, Florasol
"It's been a long road and it's been a struggle. When I started, I had people stop at my shop and tell me you are going to eat the lettuce leaves and I said yes I will, but I am going to outgrow it. But it's a business that allows you to be very creative and I love creativity - I like to do things that are pretty and I've always told anybody knows me know that I tell them you walk the extra mile and with the flowers, you just put in maybe a little bow, a tinge of color and it makes a difference and the flowers makes you be creative. It's very good for your well-being. In fact I think if I didn't have the flowers I would not be as flamboyant as I want to be because it makes me feel good."