Farewell Bouquet: How to Choose Flowers for a Goodbye
A farewell bouquet is flowers given to someone who is leaving: a colleague changing jobs or retiring, a teacher at the end of a school year, a friend moving to another city or country. The right choice is a bright, positive bouquet in warm or fresh colours that is easy to carry and lasts well, with a short card thanking the person and wishing them luck. Sombre all-white arrangements are better left for funerals, where a different set of rules applies.
In our St Petersburg shops, open since 2011, customers usually come with three practical questions: how big the bouquet should be, which flowers will survive a journey or a move, and what to write on the card. Below we answer each of them, along with notes on Russian customs for those sending flowers to someone in Russia.
Choosing flowers by who is leaving
For a colleague leaving the office, a medium mixed bouquet works best: spray roses, alstroemeria, chrysanthemums, eustoma and some greenery. It looks generous without being personal or romantic, and a team can sign one card together. Avoid red roses only, which in Russia as elsewhere read as a declaration of love rather than a thank-you.
For a retiring manager or long-serving teacher, the bouquet can be larger and more elegant: garden-style roses, hydrangea, or a seasonal arrangement in one colour family. Here the flowers express respect for many years of work, so customers often choose cream, peach or burgundy tones rather than very bright mixes.
For a friend who is moving away, choose something cheerful and personal. If you know their favourite flower, build the bouquet around it. Sunflowers, gerberas and tulips in spring carry an optimistic mood that fits a new start. The point of a farewell bouquet is to send someone off with a good memory, not to make the goodbye heavier.
Size and format: think about the journey
A farewell bouquet often has to travel: home on the metro after a leaving party, into a car packed with boxes, or onto a train. In practice this means a compact, round bouquet in sturdy wrapping is better than a tall cascading design. A bouquet of 15-25 stems is usually enough for a colleague; our article on how many flowers go into a bouquet explains how florists count stems and what different sizes look like.
Choose long-lasting flowers if the person is moving soon. Chrysanthemums, alstroemeria, carnations and eustoma easily stay fresh for one to two weeks; roses typically last about a week. Delicate flowers like peonies or ranunculus are beautiful but open fast, so they suit someone who will be at home to enjoy them for a few days.
If the person is flying out within a day or two, flowers may be impractical. In that case, consider giving the bouquet a few days before the departure so they can enjoy it at home, or send it to a family member who stays behind as a gesture of support.
Bouquets we can deliver
Colours and their meaning in a goodbye
Yellow and orange stand for warmth, friendship and good luck in the new place, and they are among the most popular choices for leaving gifts. Soft pink and peach say gratitude and affection, which fits a mentor or a close colleague. Blue and violet, from delphinium, iris or dyed accents, give a calm, thoughtful note that many people associate with new horizons.
In Russia, yellow flowers were once said to mean separation, and some older people still remember that superstition. Most people today simply see yellow as cheerful, but if the recipient is from an older generation and the farewell is emotional, a mix of yellow with white and green softens the message.
All-white bouquets, especially white lilies or white chrysanthemums, are strongly linked with mourning in Russian culture. For a happy farewell, add colour. Also keep to an odd number of stems in a gift bouquet in Russia: even numbers are brought to funerals and graves, and many recipients notice this.
What to write on a farewell card
The card is often kept long after the flowers have gone, so a few honest lines matter more than a long poem. Thank the person for something concrete, wish them well in what comes next and sign with your names. For example: 'Thank you for five years of patience and good advice. The new team is lucky. We will miss you' says more than a general list of wishes.
For a teacher, a line from the class or the parents is appropriate: 'Thank you for everything you taught our children. Good luck in your new school.' For a friend moving abroad: 'The city will be quieter without you. Come back often, and send photos.' Keep humour light and avoid jokes the person might misread when they reread the card later.
If you are ordering from abroad for someone in Russia, write the text in the language the recipient reads best. A card with your text is free with every order, and you can write it in Russian or English. Delivery is anonymous by default, so if you want the person to know who sent the flowers, sign the card clearly.
Farewell flowers for a funeral: a different tradition
Sometimes customers mean a farewell in the other sense: flowers for a funeral or a memorial service. Here Russian tradition is strict. The number of stems is even, the colours are calm, usually white, deep red or purple, and the arrangement is modest. Carnations, roses, chrysanthemums and callas are the classic choices.
Flowers for a funeral are laid at the coffin or the grave rather than kept in a vase, so wrapping is usually minimal and dark or neutral. A short ribbon or card with the names of the people paying respects is appropriate. Bright mixed bouquets and gift wrapping should be avoided.
If you cannot attend, a bouquet sent to the family home with a short message of sympathy is a respected gesture in Russia. Delivery at an exact time, within plus or minus 30 minutes, or in a chosen time window, helps make sure the flowers arrive when the family is at home.
Keeping the bouquet fresh and ordering in Russia
Pass a few care tips along with the bouquet. Recut the stems by two centimetres at an angle, remove leaves below the waterline and put the flowers in a clean vase with fresh water, changing it every day or two. Our guide to vase shapes that keep flowers alive helps match the vase to the bouquet. If the person wants to keep the flowers as a memento of their last day, many varieties dry well, as described in our article on drying and preserving a sentimental bouquet.
To send a farewell bouquet in Russia, choose it in our bouquet catalogue, enter the address and card text, and pay online by bank card, SBP or Yandex Pay; foreign bank cards are accepted too. City delivery costs 500 RUB; for remote districts and suburbs, the operator confirms the price when confirming the order.
In large cities we can deliver within one to two hours after the order is confirmed, at an exact time, or pre-ordered up to 30 days ahead, which is handy when the leaving party is already in the calendar. In St Petersburg delivery is available around the clock. The courier calls the recipient about 15 minutes before arrival. For any question, call us on 8 (812) 507-67-05. We deliver bouquets across Russia in 1–2 hours.
Frequently asked questions
What flowers are best for a farewell bouquet?
Long-lasting, cheerful flowers such as spray roses, alstroemeria, chrysanthemums, eustoma, gerberas or sunflowers. Choose warm or fresh colours and avoid all-white arrangements, which are linked with mourning.
How big should a farewell bouquet for a colleague be?
A compact bouquet of about 15-25 stems is usually enough. It looks generous and is easy to carry home after a leaving party.
What should I write on a farewell card?
Thank the person for something specific, wish them luck in their next step and sign with your names. Two or three sincere lines are better than a long poem.
Is an even number of flowers acceptable in Russia?
For a gift bouquet, no: even numbers are traditionally reserved for funerals and graves. Give an odd number of stems for a farewell party.
Can I order a farewell bouquet to Russia from abroad?
Yes. Choose a bouquet on the site and pay online; foreign bank cards are accepted. City delivery costs 500 RUB, and questions can be asked by phone on 8 (812) 507-67-05.
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