The business originally consisted of a single retail outlet, located in Sacramento, California, that began selling flowers in 1970.
The business grew significantly, so the company purchased other retail florist shops across the United States, including major retail stores in New York City and Los Angeles. These two stores installed order desks with toll-free phone lines. Customers could place orders by phone and have their purchases delivered anywhere in the United States, with guaranteed delivery times and schedules.
The flowers originally came from a local Sacramento nursery. As the company grew, it contracted with two European nurseries, in Amsterdam, The Netherlands, and Seville, Spain, to provide exotic flower varieties. The retail company purchased all three nurseries in 1988 and set up distribution procedures, which effectively turned the nurseries into supply and distribution centers.
In early 1990, the chain incorporated and offered ownership shares on the stock market. Using the capital generated from selling stock, the corporation purchased a manufacturing plant located in Sacramento that manufactured various styles of award-winning terra cotta pots and vases. The pots and vases have become the corporation's "signature" product and are used as part of the flower arrangements sold at the retail stores.
At the same time, the company began opening retail shops in upscale malls instead of purchasing existing florists. Currently, the company continues to focus on this strategy for expanding its business.
In December 1991, the corporation renamed itself "Terra Flora Incorporated."
In 1993, Terra Flora began selling flowers internationally. The corporation formalized the setup of supply and distribution centers in Amsterdam and Seville by purchasing office space near the supply farms. Terra Flora modeled the centers on the Sacramento operation, which had changed significantly over the years. More U.S. distribution centers were purchased in Dallas, Texas and Boston, Massachusetts.