Flowers for Sale: How to Choose and Buy Fresh Flowers in Russia
Pyat Tsvetov (5 Flowers) has fresh flowers and ready bouquets for sale in three of our own shops in Saint Petersburg and online, with delivery across Russia. You can buy for yourself or send flowers to someone in Russia from abroad, paying online with a Russian or foreign bank card.
Buying flowers well is not only about finding a shop. It is about picking stems that will last, a bouquet that suits the occasion and a delivery time that actually works for the recipient. Below are the things customers ask us most often, answered the way we answer them in the shop on Ilyushina Street, on the Obvodny Canal Embankment and on Srednerogatskaya Street.
"What do you have today?"
Roses are the backbone of what we sell, from long single-headed stems to spray roses with several small blooms. Chrysanthemums come next, valued because spray varieties easily last two weeks and more. Alstroemeria, eustoma, gerberas, carnations and lilies fill out mixed bouquets, while seasonal flowers change the picture through the year: tulips and mimosa before 8 March, peonies in June, and bright autumn colours in September.
Most customers choose between two formats. A single-variety bouquet, for example roses only, is classic and works for romantic occasions and anniversaries. A mixed bouquet combines several flowers and greenery and suits birthdays, thank-yous and visits, because it looks generous and lives longer when it includes sturdy flowers like chrysanthemums and alstroemeria. The bouquets catalogue shows both.
How to recognise fresh flowers when you buy
Customers often ask how to tell a fresh bouquet from a tired one, and the checks are simple. Squeeze a rose head gently at its base: a fresh one feels firm, a soft head means the flower is past its best. The outer guard petals may look a little rough, which is normal, but the inner petals should be smooth and tight. Leaves should be green and springy, not yellow or limp.
Look at the stems and the water. Stems should be clean and firm, without slime or dark ends, and the water in the bucket should not smell. For chrysanthemums check the centre of the flower: tight, green-tinged centres mean a long life ahead, while fully open, dusty centres mean the flower is older. Lilies are best bought with most buds still closed, so they open at home rather than in the shop.
When you order online you cannot touch the flowers yourself, so the choice of stems is in the florist's hands. That is why it is worth telling us who the bouquet is for and when it should arrive: we put flowers with a longer vase life into bouquets for elderly recipients and for orders that should stay beautiful through a long celebration.
Bouquets we can deliver
Choosing a bouquet for the occasion
The question we hear most after "what do you have" is "what is appropriate". For a partner, red roses remain the clearest gesture; for a mother or grandmother, soft pinks, creams and warm mixed bouquets are safer. For colleagues and teachers, neutral bright bouquets with gerberas, chrysanthemums or spray roses are right, and for a man darker, more structured flowers work better than pastel ones.
In Russia the number of flowers matters. Give an odd number for any happy occasion, because even numbers are associated with funerals and remembrance. In a large mixed bouquet nobody counts, but with five, seven or nine roses people do, especially older recipients. Yellow flowers no longer carry a strong negative meaning for most people, though some of the older generation still link them with parting.
Think about where the flowers will go. A tall bouquet suits a spacious flat or an office reception, while a compact round bouquet is easier for a small kitchen, a hospital ward or a recipient who will carry it on public transport. Strongly scented lilies are lovely at home but are better avoided for hospitals and small offices.
Buying for the busiest flower dates
A few dates in the Russian calendar change how you should buy. The days before International Women's Day on 8 March are the busiest of the year: almost every woman receives flowers, from colleagues, sons, husbands and friends, and tulips are bought by the armful. Valentine's Day on 14 February is the second peak, mostly for roses, and 1 September, the Day of Knowledge, fills the streets with schoolchildren carrying bouquets to their teachers.
For these dates order in advance. Pre-ordering 1-30 days ahead lets you choose the bouquet calmly and pick a delivery window that suits the recipient, for example 09-12 so that flowers arrive before she leaves for work. If you remember late, express delivery in large cities takes 1-2 hours after the order is confirmed.
The end of the school year, graduation parties in June and the season of weddings bring their own demand. If you are buying for a teacher or a graduate, a medium bouquet that is easy to carry home is more practical than a large one, because the recipient will often collect several bouquets in a single day.
Buying flowers for someone in Russia from abroad
Many of our online customers live outside Russia and buy flowers for parents, partners and friends here. We deliver across Russia: city delivery costs 500 RUB, and for remote districts and suburbs the operator confirms the price when confirming the order. In large cities express delivery takes 1-2 hours after the order is confirmed, and in Saint Petersburg delivery works around the clock.
You can also choose an exact time, accurate to plus or minus 30 minutes, a window of 09-12, 12-15, 15-18 or 18-21, or pre-order 1-30 days ahead for a birthday or anniversary. Delivery is anonymous by default, and a card with your text is free. The courier calls the recipient about 15 minutes before arrival; if nobody is home, we arrange a second delivery the same day or leave the flowers with a neighbour or concierge with your consent.
Payment is online by bank card, SBP or Yandex Pay, and foreign bank cards are accepted through Robokassa. All conditions are on the delivery and payment page, and if you have questions before buying, call us on 8 (812) 507-67-05.
Keeping your flowers fresh after buying
Most of the vase life of a bouquet depends on the first hour at home. Cut the stems at an angle by one or two centimetres with a sharp knife, remove all leaves below the waterline and put the flowers into a clean vase with cool water. Change the water every two days and trim the stems a little each time.
Keep the bouquet away from radiators, direct sun and draughts, and do not place it next to fruit, which releases gas that makes flowers age faster. Remove fading flowers as soon as you see them. Treated this way, roses usually last about a week, and chrysanthemums, alstroemeria and carnations often last two weeks or longer.
If the bouquet came from far away, or stood for a while before it reached the vase, give it a deep drink first: trim the stems and leave the flowers in a bucket of cool water for an hour or two before arranging them. Roses with slightly drooping heads often recover completely after this.
Frequently asked questions
Where can I buy flowers in Saint Petersburg?
Pyat Tsvetov has three shops in Saint Petersburg: on Ilyushina Street, on the Obvodny Canal Embankment and on Srednerogatskaya Street. You can also order online with delivery.
Can I buy flowers online and have them delivered in Russia?
Yes, we deliver across Russia. City delivery costs 500 RUB, and in Saint Petersburg delivery works around the clock.
Do you accept foreign bank cards?
Yes, foreign bank cards are accepted through Robokassa. Russian bank cards, SBP and Yandex Pay are also available.
Which flowers last longest in a vase?
Spray chrysanthemums, alstroemeria and carnations usually last two weeks or more with fresh water. Roses typically last about a week.
How many flowers should be in a bouquet in Russia?
For happy occasions always an odd number. Even numbers are given at funerals.
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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