Flower Service in the Netherlands: How It Works and How to Send Flowers Home to Russia
A flower service in the Netherlands usually means a florist or online shop that prepares a bouquet and delivers it to an address in the country, often the same or next day. If you live in the Netherlands and want flowers to reach family or friends in Russia, you can order directly with Pyat Tsvetov: we deliver across Russia, foreign bank cards are accepted, and in Saint Petersburg we deliver around the clock.
We have had our own flower shops in Saint Petersburg since 2011, and customers who moved to Amsterdam, Rotterdam or Eindhoven often compare what they see there with what they knew at home. Below we explain how Dutch flower habits differ from Russian ones, what is polite when you give flowers in the Netherlands, and how to arrange a delivery to Russia step by step.
How Dutch flower culture differs from Russian habits
The first thing newcomers notice is how ordinary flowers are in the Netherlands. People buy a bunch at the market or supermarket every week for their own kitchen table, not only for special occasions. Bouquets are often simple: one variety, wrapped in paper, sold in bunches of ten or more stems. In Russia flowers are more often a gift for a specific occasion and are expected to be arranged and wrapped with care.
Tulips are the obvious Dutch symbol, but the everyday range is much wider: chrysanthemums, alstroemeria, roses, gerberas and seasonal branches. Many customers who come back to Saint Petersburg ask us for the same relaxed, garden-style look they got used to there. It is easy to do: fewer types of flowers, more greenery, and loose stems rather than a tight dome.
Another difference is the number of stems. In the Netherlands nobody counts them, and an even bunch of ten tulips is completely normal. In Russia an even number is still associated with funerals by many people, especially the older generation, so when you send flowers to Russia it is worth choosing a bouquet with an odd number of stems or a mixed arrangement where the count does not matter. Our article on flowers in the Netherlands goes into tulips and seasons in more detail.
Etiquette when giving flowers in the Netherlands
Flowers are a standard gift when you visit someone's home, along with wine or chocolates. The host usually puts them in a vase straight away, so a bouquet that is easy to unwrap and fits an ordinary vase is the most practical choice. Very large or elaborate arrangements can feel too formal for a casual dinner.
For birthdays, flowers are welcome at any age, and Dutch birthday visits are a social event where several guests may bring bouquets. A plant in a pot is also a common and appreciated gift. For sympathy, white flowers are used as they are in Russia, and a short handwritten card is expected.
Mother's Day in the Netherlands falls on the second Sunday of May, the same as in many other countries, while in Russia it is in late November. Women's Day on 8 March is far less visible in the Netherlands than in Russia. If you live there and have a mother or grandmother in Russia, these Russian dates are exactly the days when a bouquet from abroad means the most.
Bouquets we can deliver
Sending flowers from the Netherlands to Russia: the practical steps
The most common question we get from customers abroad is whether they can pay themselves. They can: foreign bank cards are accepted, with payment processed through Robokassa, and you can also pay by SBP or Yandex Pay if you have them. You choose a bouquet in the bouquets catalogue, enter the recipient's address in Russia, write the card text and pay on the site.
City delivery costs 500 RUB; for remote districts and suburbs, the operator confirms the price when confirming the order. In large cities you can choose express delivery, which takes 1-2 hours after the order is confirmed, delivery at an exact time with a margin of plus or minus 30 minutes, or a time window: 09-12, 12-15, 15-18 or 18-21. You can also pre-order 1 to 30 days ahead, which is useful when you know the date well in advance.
In Saint Petersburg, where our own shops are, delivery is around the clock. That matters for people in the Netherlands, because the time difference is small but real: Saint Petersburg is one hour ahead in summer and two in winter. A bouquet ordered late in your evening can still arrive at midnight for a birthday. More details on terms are on our delivery and payment page.
What happens on the day of delivery
The courier calls the recipient about 15 minutes before arrival. This is often the only contact the recipient has with us, so please give a working phone number. If the recipient is not at home, we agree a second delivery the same day or hand the flowers to a neighbour or concierge, but only with your consent as the sender.
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, which is free. Customers abroad often write the card in Russian for the older generation and add one line in Dutch or English as a little sign of their new home, and recipients tend to love that detail.
For an office or university, write the organisation name, building, floor and the recipient's full name. For a private flat, add the entrance number, floor and the intercom code if you know it. These details save the courier time and make an exact-time delivery realistic.
Keeping the bouquet fresh, Dutch style
Dutch households are good at keeping flowers alive, and their habits are worth passing on to the recipient in Russia. Trim the stems by one or two centimetres at an angle, remove any leaves below the water line, and use a clean vase with cool water. Change the water every one or two days and trim the stems again each time.
Keep the vase away from radiators, direct sun and fruit bowls. In Russian flats, central heating is often strong in winter, which dries flowers quickly, so a cooler windowsill or hallway is better. Ripening fruit releases ethylene, which ages flowers faster. With this care, roses usually last five to seven days, and chrysanthemums and alstroemeria often last well over a week.
One more Dutch habit translates well: the small sachet of flower food that comes with many bouquets there. If the recipient has none, a clean vase and fresh water matter far more than any additive. Wilted flowers should be removed from a mixed bouquet as soon as they fade, because they shorten the life of the rest.
Questions by phone
If something about an order is unclear, such as a hard-to-find address, a delivery to a hospital, or which flowers will suit an elderly relative, call us on 8 (812) 507-67-05. We answer the same questions every day at the counter in our Saint Petersburg shops and are glad to help someone calling from abroad.
For a wider view of how sending flowers to Russia from another country works, read our guide to international flower service. It covers the general steps that apply whether you live in the Netherlands, Germany or Canada.
Frequently asked questions
Can I send flowers to Russia from the Netherlands?
Yes. You order on our site, enter the address in Russia and pay online. Foreign bank cards are accepted through Robokassa.
How much does delivery cost?
City delivery costs 500 RUB. For remote districts and suburbs, the operator confirms the price when confirming the order.
Can the flowers arrive at night in Saint Petersburg?
Yes, in Saint Petersburg delivery is around the clock. In other large cities you can choose express delivery, an exact time or a time window.
Is it a problem to give an even number of flowers in Russia?
Many people in Russia still associate even numbers with funerals, especially older relatives. For a celebration, choose an odd number of stems or a mixed bouquet.
Will the recipient know who sent the bouquet?
Delivery is anonymous by default, and the courier does not name the sender. Sign the free card if you want to be recognised.
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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