Best Way to Transport Flowers Home, to a Party or to Another City
The best way to transport flowers is to keep them upright and stable, with the stem ends wet, wrapped against wind and temperature changes, and out of the car's heater, sun and boot. A box arrangement in a floral base is the easiest format to move; a loose bouquet travels best standing in a bucket with a little water, wedged so it cannot fall.
In our Saint Petersburg shops, "How do I get this home without ruining it" is one of the first things customers ask after paying, especially in January and in July. The advice below is what we tell them at the counter, grouped by situation: the type of flowers, the container, the weather and the first ten minutes after you arrive.
Start with the flowers: what is fragile and what is not
Different flowers need different handling, and the packing should match the most delicate stem in the bouquet. Chrysanthemums, carnations, alstroemeria, spray roses and most greenery are tough and tolerate a crowded bus or a bumpy road. Standard roses are fine as long as the heads are not pressed against anything. Peonies, ranunculus, tulips, lisianthus and garden roses bruise at the slightest touch and need a loose, protective wrap around the heads.
Tulips deserve a special note. They keep growing after cutting and bend towards the light, so if you lay them flat for an hour they will curve and stay curved. Always carry tulips upright and tightly wrapped in paper, which keeps the stems straight.
Hydrangeas and lilac drink a great deal and wilt fast without water. For these, a moist wrap at the stem ends is the minimum even for a 20-minute journey, and for anything longer they should stand in water.
Mixed bouquets need a little thought. When a bouquet combines sturdy roses with a few delicate ranunculus or sweet peas, pack it for the delicate flowers: an extra layer of tissue around the heads and no pressure on the sides. One bruised peony in the middle of an arrangement is what everyone notices first.
Choosing the container
For a short walk, the wrapping from the shop is enough, provided you hold the bouquet heads up by the binding point and keep it slightly away from your body. For a car journey, put the bouquet into a bucket, a deep box or even a large shopping bag weighted at the bottom, so it stands upright on the floor. A rolled towel around the base stops it from sliding when you brake.
Box and hatbox arrangements are the most transport-friendly format we make. The stems sit in a damp floral base, so the flowers keep drinking, and the rigid walls take the knocks. They are a good choice for a long drive or when you will be carrying the gift around for several hours before handing it over, for example to a housewarming. Our guide to housewarming flowers in Russia has suggestions for that occasion.
Avoid tight plastic bags sealed at the top. Condensation collects inside, and petals that sit in moisture for hours develop brown spots.
Bouquets we can deliver
Heat, frost and the car
Cut flowers prefer temperatures roughly between 5 and 20 degrees. In summer, a closed car parked in the sun becomes a greenhouse within minutes and roses start to droop. Keep the bouquet on the floor behind the front passenger seat, out of direct sun, and never leave it in a parked car. Do not point the air conditioning at it either, since cold, dry moving air dehydrates petals.
Saint Petersburg winters are the bigger test. At minus ten, unprotected petals can freeze in a few minutes, and the damage appears an hour later as dark, translucent patches. In winter we wrap bouquets in several layers, and you should carry the flowers straight from a warm car to a warm entrance, without stopping on the street. If you walk, keep the bouquet under your coat or inside a thick bag.
On a hot day, plan the route so the flowers spend the least time in the car. Buy or collect the bouquet last, after other errands, and travel in the morning or evening when you can. A light mist of water on the leaves before you set off slows evaporation; avoid spraying fully open petals, which can spot.
The car boot is a poor place in any season: it is either too hot or too cold, and things shift around. The floor of the cabin is better every time.
The first ten minutes after arrival
Most of the benefit of careful transport is lost if the bouquet then lies on a hallway shelf for an evening. As soon as you arrive, remove the wrapping, cut each stem by 2-3 centimetres at an angle with a sharp knife or secateurs, and put the flowers into a clean vase. Remove any leaves that would sit in the water, because they rot quickly and cloud it; we explain the technique in stripping leaves below the waterline.
Use cool or room-temperature water for most flowers, and slightly warm water to revive a bouquet that has had a cold journey. The details by flower type are in our article on the best water temperature for cut flowers. If the heads have drooped, a trick that works especially well for roses: re-cut the stems, wrap the whole bouquet tightly in paper and stand it in deep water for an hour or two.
Place the vase away from radiators and from fruit. Change the water every two days and trim the stems again each time.
Long distances and gifts to another city
Customers sometimes want to take a bouquet from Saint Petersburg to Moscow on the train or on a flight to relatives. It is possible for a short trip with a box arrangement, but after six to eight hours in a dry train carriage or a plane, even sturdy flowers arrive tired, and many airlines and borders restrict plants. For long distances it is more sensible to have the bouquet made and delivered at the destination.
We deliver flowers across Russia. In large cities express delivery takes 1-2 hours after the order is confirmed, or you can choose an exact time with a 30-minute margin, a window from 09-12 to 18-21, or a pre-order 1-30 days ahead. In Saint Petersburg delivery runs around the clock. City delivery costs 500 RUB; for suburbs and remote districts, the operator confirms the price when confirming the order.
You choose the bouquet in the catalogue and pay online by bank card, SBP or Yandex Pay; foreign bank cards are accepted through Robokassa. The courier calls the recipient about 15 minutes before arrival, delivery is anonymous unless you sign the free card, and if the recipient is out we agree a second delivery the same day or, with your consent, leave the flowers with a neighbour or concierge. For any question about the order, call 8 (812) 507-67-05. We deliver bouquets across Russia in 1–2 hours.
Frequently asked questions
How long can flowers stay out of water while being transported?
Most bouquets cope with an hour or two in a moist wrap. Hydrangeas, lilac and other thirsty flowers should stand in water for anything longer than about 20 minutes.
What is the safest way to carry tulips?
Upright and tightly wrapped in paper. Tulips bend towards the light and stay curved if they are carried flat.
How do I protect flowers from frost?
Wrap them in several layers of paper and move them directly from a warm car or room to a warm entrance. Frost damage shows up later as dark, glassy patches on the petals.
Is a box arrangement easier to transport than a bouquet?
Yes. The flowers sit in a damp floral base and the box protects them from knocks, so it is the best format for long drives or for carrying a gift around.
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