THE OLDEST BUSINESS ON THE DANFORTH

In 1911, during the days of the horse and carriage, Percy Waters opened for business at 445 Danforth Ave with his wife Lulu and their four children. Despite mud roads, the lack of streetcars, uncultivated lands, scarcity of houses and despite the neighbouring merchants who predicted ultimate failure, Percy Waters pursued his dream.

He was the first florist-nurseryman on the Danforth and the first businessman to outfit his premises with electric lights. Three or four times a week Percy Waters would have his delivery man hitch up the horse and wagon and set out to receive an express shipment of peonies, geraniums, iris bulbs, seeds and garden rakes down at the old River Station. In 1917 Mr. Percy Waters passed away but not before he had seen his small beginning flourish into a very successful business. His widow Lulu carried on that business with all the fortitude she could muster with the help of her two sons Russ and Victor.

Today, while the Waters family no longer owns the shop, it is still run with love and care, by a family and staff who are eager to preserve the rich heritage that is Percy Waters Flowers. At over 100 years old, Percy Waters Flowers is a beloved tradition in the city of Toronto. Dedicated to retaining the original vision of Percy and Lulu, we offer full-service floral design for all occasions using fresh local blooms, offering solid customer service, and making everything with love. We are fortunate to be able to do what we love everyday, and we look forward to being on the Danforth for another hundred plus years.