Delivery Instructions: What to Write When You Send Flowers
Delivery instructions are the few lines in an order that tell the courier how to reach the recipient and what to do on arrival: the entrance and floor, the intercom code, the phone number to call, the preferred time and the plan if nobody answers. For flowers they decide whether the bouquet is handed over fresh in person or spends an hour travelling around a housing estate.
At Pyat Tsvetov we have been delivering bouquets from our Saint Petersburg shops since 2011, and our operators ask the same handful of questions on almost every order. Answering them in advance, in the instructions field, makes the delivery faster and keeps any surprise intact. Below is that list of questions, with examples you can reuse.
The questions our operators ask on every order
When an order arrives without notes, the operator has to fill the gaps by phone: which entrance, which floor, is there an intercom code, is the recipient expecting a delivery, may we leave the flowers with someone else. Each of these questions can be answered in one short line. The more of them you cover, the fewer calls are needed and the less chance of a surprise being spoiled.
A complete note usually fits into four lines: access (entrance, floor, flat, code), contact (who to call and on which number), timing (when the recipient is in and why the time matters) and fallback (what to do if nobody answers). Everything else, including the message for the recipient, belongs on the card, not in the instructions.
Write in plain sentences and avoid abbreviations that only make sense to you. Foreign customers often write their notes in English, which is fine; our article on English delivery instructions on the order form explains what we accept and how we read it.
Getting into the building: entrances, courtyards and intercoms
Russian apartment buildings are divided into entrances, called podyezd, each with its own staircase and lift. A large block may have twelve of them, so the flat number alone is rarely enough: always give the entrance number and floor. In the historic centre of Saint Petersburg many addresses are reached through an arch into a courtyard, sometimes through a second courtyard behind it, and the entrance you need may be in a wing that faces neither street.
Most entrances have an intercom. Older systems open when the courier dials the flat number, others need a numeric code, and new residential complexes often add a closed courtyard gate or a barrier with its own entry. If you know the code, write it. If you do not, that is common and solvable; our note on delivery instructions without the intercom code describes the usual ways round it.
Landmarks save a lot of time: the entrance next to the pharmacy, the gate on the side street, the building with the green door. For offices, add the company name, the floor and whether visitors pass through security. For hotels, give the guest's name exactly as booked.
Bouquets we can deliver
The recipient's phone and name
The courier calls the recipient about 15 minutes before arrival, so a mobile number that the person actually answers is the core of any delivery note. Give it with the country code, and if the recipient tends to ignore unknown numbers, say so; for a gift that is not a surprise, warn them that a courier will call. A landline is a poor substitute, since nobody may be home to pick it up.
Write the recipient's name the way they use it. If you are writing in Latin letters, a common transliteration is fine, and adding the patronymic helps when the order goes to an office or a hospital. For deliveries to elderly relatives, mention if they hear badly or prefer a call to a family member first; operators take such notes seriously.
If the flowers are for a child, a patient or someone who cannot come to the door, name the adult or staff member who will receive them and give that person's number as well.
Choosing and explaining the time
In large cities you can choose express delivery 1-2 hours after the order is confirmed, an exact time with a margin of plus or minus 30 minutes, a window of 09-12, 12-15, 15-18 or 18-21, or a date pre-ordered 1-30 days ahead. In Saint Petersburg delivery runs around the clock, which customers abroad use for midnight birthday surprises and early-morning anniversary deliveries.
The instructions are the place to explain why a time matters: before 10:00 because she leaves for work, after 19:00 when the family is home, exactly at 12:00 for the wedding anniversary. A reason helps the route planner more than the time alone. Write all times in the recipient's local time and double-check the date if you live several time zones away.
For pre-ordered dates such as 8 March, Mother's Day or 1 September, place the order early and keep the instructions detailed, because couriers make many more stops on those days. All the options are listed on our delivery and payment page.
Surprises, anonymity and the card
Delivery is anonymous by default: the courier does not name the sender. If you want the recipient to know who sent the flowers, sign the card; if you want the courier to say it aloud, add that to the instructions. The card with your text is free and is handed over with the bouquet.
The most frequent mix-up we see is a card message typed into the instructions field, or an intercom code written in the card text. Keep the two separate: the instructions are read by the operator and courier, the card is read by the recipient. If you need the card in Russian, write the text in English and ask us to keep it as written or call us to discuss it.
For a full surprise, find out the entrance and code through a relative or colleague rather than asking the recipient. The courier's short call before arrival rarely spoils anything; most people take it as a pleasant hint.
If nobody is home: set the fallback in advance
If the recipient is not there, we agree either a second delivery the same day or handing the flowers to a neighbour or concierge, and the second option happens only with the sender's consent. Writing your choice in the instructions in advance saves a call and keeps the bouquet out of the van.
Good fallback lines are specific: if Olga is out, leave with the concierge; if nobody answers, try again after 18:00; do not leave with neighbours. Leave at the door rarely works in Russian apartment buildings, because the courier cannot enter the staircase without being let in.
Once the instructions are written, choose a bouquet in our catalogue and pay on the site by bank card, SBP or Yandex Pay; foreign bank cards are accepted through Robokassa. City delivery costs 500 RUB, and for remote districts and suburbs the operator confirms the price when confirming the order. Questions about a tricky address can be settled by phone on 8 (812) 507-67-05.
Frequently asked questions
What are delivery instructions?
They are short notes for the courier about how to reach the recipient: entrance, floor, intercom code, phone number, preferred time and what to do if nobody is home. The card message is written separately.
Can I write delivery instructions in English?
Yes. Many of our customers abroad write their notes in English, and the operator reads them when confirming the order.
Will the recipient know who sent the flowers?
Not unless you choose so. Delivery is anonymous by default and the courier does not name the sender; sign the free card if you want to be known.
What if the recipient is out when the courier arrives?
We arrange a second delivery the same day or, with your consent, hand the bouquet to a neighbour or concierge. State your preference in the instructions.
Can flowers be delivered at night in Saint Petersburg?
Yes, in Saint Petersburg delivery runs around the clock. Write the exact time and a working phone number for the recipient.
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