The Best Place to Send Flowers From, and the Best Place to Send Them To
The best place to send flowers from is a florist that makes the bouquets and delivers them with its own couriers in the recipient's city, shows real photos of its compositions and states delivery terms clearly before you pay. The best place to send them to is wherever the recipient will be relaxed and able to put them in water within the hour, which is usually home rather than the office.
Customers ask us both versions of this question in our Saint Petersburg shops, and the second one is asked less often but decides more. Below we go through the checks that separate a reliable flower service from a disappointing one, how to choose the delivery address and time, and how ordering with Pyat Tsvetov works if you are sending flowers to Russia from abroad.
How to judge a flower delivery service
Start with who actually makes the bouquet. A shop that assembles compositions in its own studios controls freshness, wrapping and the final look, and can tell you honestly what is in stock today. Pyat Tsvetov has worked since 2011 and has three own shops in Saint Petersburg, on Ilyushina Street, on Obvodny Canal Embankment and on Srednerogatskaya Street, and any question about a composition can be asked by phone before you order.
Next, read the delivery terms before you fall in love with a bouquet. A trustworthy service tells you the delivery price, the available time slots and what happens if the recipient is not home. Ours are simple: city delivery costs 500 RUB, and for remote districts and suburbs the operator confirms the price when confirming the order, so the final sum is known before anything is sent.
Look closely at how each bouquet is described. A good listing names the flowers, the number of stems and the approximate size, so you can picture what will arrive instead of guessing from a styled photo. Vague names without a composition are a warning sign, especially when you are ordering for someone far away and cannot see the result yourself. If the description leaves you unsure, call before ordering rather than after delivery.
Finally, check that payment works for you. For senders abroad this is often the deciding point. We accept foreign bank cards through Robokassa, as well as bank card, SBP and Yandex Pay payments on the site; the full details are on the Delivery and payment page.
Home, office or somewhere else: choosing the address
Home is the safest choice for most occasions. The recipient can unwrap the bouquet calmly, cut the stems and find a vase, and the flowers spend their first hours in water instead of on a desk. For birthdays, anniversaries and apologies we recommend home delivery in the morning or early evening, when people are usually in.
Office delivery works best for congratulations that are meant to be seen: a promotion, a professional holiday or a birthday celebrated with colleagues. Keep the bouquet compact so it fits on a desk, give the company name, floor and a working phone number, and avoid late Friday slots when the office may already be empty. Our article Best Flowers to Send a Russian Colleague at Work covers what is appropriate in a Russian workplace.
Restaurants, hotels and hospitals need a phone call first. A restaurant should know a bouquet is coming and when to bring it to the table; a hotel reception needs the guest's name exactly as on the booking; many hospital wards do not accept flowers at all, so check before ordering. When in doubt, deliver to home on the day after and attach a card that explains why.
Bouquets we can deliver
Timing the delivery so the flowers are seen at their best
For a sender abroad, the first step is converting to the recipient's local time. Russia spans eleven time zones, and Saint Petersburg runs on Moscow time, so an order placed late in the evening in America lands in the middle of the following working day here. Choose the delivery day and slot in the recipient's time, not yours.
We offer several formats. In large cities express delivery takes 1-2 hours after the order is confirmed. You can set an exact time with a margin of 30 minutes, choose a window of 09-12, 12-15, 15-18 or 18-21, or pre-order 1-30 days ahead for a date you already know. In Saint Petersburg delivery runs around the clock, which helps when a surprise has to arrive at midnight on a birthday or early before someone leaves for work.
Holiday dates need extra care. Around 8 March, 14 February and 1 September demand peaks sharply, so a pre-order placed several days ahead is the calmest option and lets you pick the exact window you want.
Choosing flowers that suit the person and the season
Customers often ask which bouquet is the safest choice for someone they know only a little. Roses in soft pink, cream or peach, eustoma and spray roses suit almost any adult recipient and hold well in a vase. For close family you can be more personal: their favourite colour, flowers from their childhood garden, or peonies in early summer when they are in season.
Russian etiquette favours odd numbers of stems in a gift bouquet, with even numbers kept for funerals and memorials, and older relatives notice this. Large bouquets of more than 15 stems are counted less carefully, but for a mother or grandmother keep to 5, 7, 9 or 11. Red carnations and white chrysanthemums are linked with remembrance, so leave them for memorial dates.
Season matters as much as meaning. In the cold months choose flowers with sturdy heads and firm stems that tolerate a short trip through frost; we list the best options in Best Flowers to Send in a Russian Winter. In summer, avoid leaving a bouquet in a hot car or a sunny lobby, and ask for delivery to an address where someone is waiting.
The card, anonymity and what happens at the door
A card with your text is free, and it is the part of the gift people keep after the flowers fade. Write two or three short lines in the recipient's language, and sign with the name they actually call you. If you are not confident about Russian spelling, a short English message with the recipient's name in Russian is perfectly fine.
Delivery is anonymous by default: the courier does not name the sender. That suits a secret admirer, but most people do want to be recognised, so remember to sign the card. About 15 minutes before arrival the courier calls the recipient, and if nobody is there we agree a second delivery the same day or, with your consent, leave the bouquet with a neighbour or concierge.
To make the handover smooth, give a phone number the recipient really answers, plus the entrance, floor, door code and any landmarks for the courtyard. Saint Petersburg courtyards and old buildings can be confusing, and a clear address saves time for everyone. For any question about an order, call us on 8 (812) 507-67-05, or start with the Bouquets catalogue.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best place to send flowers from abroad to Russia?
A service that delivers with its own couriers, lists clear terms and accepts foreign cards. Pyat Tsvetov delivers across Russia, accepts foreign bank cards through Robokassa and charges 500 RUB for city delivery.
Is it better to send flowers to home or to the office?
Home is better for personal occasions, because the recipient can put the flowers in water straight away. The office suits work-related congratulations; give the company name, floor and a working phone.
How quickly can flowers be delivered?
In large cities express delivery takes 1-2 hours after the order is confirmed. You can also choose an exact time, a time window or pre-order 1-30 days ahead.
Can I send flowers at night in Saint Petersburg?
Yes. In Saint Petersburg delivery runs around the clock, so a midnight birthday surprise is possible.
Will the recipient know who sent the bouquet?
Not unless you sign the card. Delivery is anonymous by default, and the card with your text is free.
Ready to send a bouquet?
Pick a city, choose the flowers, and we will hand them over with a photo confirmation.
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