Flowers with International Delivery: How It Works and What to Check
International flower delivery means you order and pay in one place, and the bouquet is delivered to a recipient in another country. With Pyat Tsvetov you can send flowers across Russia and also abroad: to 54 countries and more than 1670 cities, including the USA, the United Kingdom, Poland, France, Spain, Egypt, Germany and Canada. You pay online in rubles, and for orders abroad the price shown already includes delivery.
Customers in our Saint Petersburg shops usually ask the same practical things before ordering abroad: how to choose a city, how to pay with a foreign card, what to write on the card and which flowers are appropriate in a different culture. Below are our answers, based on years of orders since 2011, from both directions: from Russia to other countries and from abroad to Russia.
Two directions: to Russia from abroad and from Russia to the world
Most English-speaking visitors to our site are sending flowers to Russia: a daughter in London ordering for her mother in Saint Petersburg, a colleague in Berlin congratulating a partner in Moscow, a family in Toronto remembering a grandmother's birthday in a small Siberian town. For them the process is the same as for a Russian customer. We deliver across Russia, city delivery costs 500 RUB, and for remote districts and suburbs the operator confirms the price when confirming the order.
The other direction is just as common. Russians and Russian-speaking families order bouquets for children studying in Europe, relatives who moved to the United States or friends in Egypt and Spain. All destination countries and cities are listed on the page Flower delivery abroad; it is in Russian, but country names are easy to find and the order form works the same way as for Russia.
It helps to keep the two sets of conditions apart. The 500 RUB delivery fee and the express and time-window options apply to Russian cities. For countries abroad, the price on the country or city page is already converted to rubles and already includes delivery, so there is no separate fee to calculate.
How an order abroad works, step by step
Open the country or city page, choose a bouquet, enter the recipient's address and your card text, and pay online in rubles. That is all. Write the address in the format of the destination country: street, house or apartment number, postcode and city in Latin letters for Europe and North America, and add a phone number for the recipient so the courier can reach them.
The card is where most people hesitate. Write it in the language the recipient reads best, and keep it to a few lines: a name, a warm wish and your signature. If you want the gift to stay a surprise, leave the card unsigned; delivery is anonymous by default and the courier does not name the sender.
Before paying, check the time difference. Evening in Saint Petersburg is already night in Vladivostok and still afternoon in New York. If your occasion is tied to a specific date, think about the recipient's local calendar rather than yours, and order with a reserve instead of on the last evening.
Bouquets we can deliver
Flower etiquette changes at the border
Customers sending flowers from Russia often apply Russian rules everywhere, and the reverse happens too. The Russian rule of odd numbers for the living and even numbers for funerals is specific to Russia and a few neighbouring countries. In the USA, the UK and Canada a dozen roses is the classic romantic gesture, and nobody counts stems. When sending flowers to Russia, though, always keep to an odd number of flowers in a small or medium bouquet.
Chrysanthemums are a good example of how meanings differ. In Russia they are cheerful autumn flowers given to teachers and colleagues. In France, Italy, Spain and Belgium they are strongly associated with cemeteries and All Saints' Day, so a chrysanthemum bouquet to Paris or Madrid can look like condolences. For Western Europe, roses, tulips, peonies in season and mixed garden-style bouquets are the safer choice.
Colour carries meaning too. Red roses are romantic almost everywhere, so they are best reserved for a partner. For mothers, colleagues and friends abroad choose white, cream, pastel pink or bright mixed colours. White lilies in many Western countries are linked to funerals, while in Russia they are a common festive flower; if in doubt, choose something else for a European or American recipient.
Choosing a bouquet that survives the journey and the vase
Whether the recipient is in Saint Petersburg or Seville, the bouquet will stand in a vase for days, so choose flowers that hold their shape. Roses, spray roses, eustoma, alstroemeria, chrysanthemums and carnations last a week or more with care. Peonies, ranunculus and tulips are beautiful but short-lived, and they are best for a moment of celebration rather than a long-lasting gift.
Climate matters as well. In Egypt or southern Spain the room temperature is high for much of the year, and delicate flowers wilt faster; dense roses and greenery cope better. In northern Russia in winter the challenge is the opposite: the bouquet is carried through frost and then placed in a heated flat. A good florist wraps it accordingly, and the recipient should let it stand for a few minutes before unwrapping.
A short care note in the card text can double the life of the bouquet: trim the stems by a centimetre, change the water every day or two and keep the vase away from radiators, sunlight and fruit. Most recipients never think of it, and a florist's hint is always appreciated.
Sending flowers to Russia: timing and delivery options
For recipients in Russia you have more control over timing. In large cities express delivery takes 1-2 hours after the order is confirmed. You can also choose an exact time with a margin of about 30 minutes, a window of 09-12, 12-15, 15-18 or 18-21, or pre-order 1-30 days ahead. In Saint Petersburg delivery is around the clock, which is useful when you are ordering from a different time zone and want the bouquet at a precise moment.
The courier calls the recipient about 15 minutes before arrival. If nobody is at home, we agree a second delivery the same day or, with your consent, leave the flowers with a neighbour or the concierge. For smaller towns, look at our notes on specific places, for example sending flowers to Slavgorod from abroad, to understand how delivery works outside the big cities. The full conditions are on the delivery and payment page.
Browse the bouquets catalogue to choose flowers for a Russian recipient. Since 2011 we have run our own flower shops in Saint Petersburg, on Ilyushina Street, the Obvodny Canal Embankment and Srednerogatskaya Street, so the bouquets in the city are assembled by our florists.
Paying from abroad and getting help
Payment is online on the site by bank card, SBP or Yandex Pay. Foreign bank cards are accepted through Robokassa, so customers in the USA, Europe or elsewhere can pay without a Russian bank account. Prices are shown in rubles; your bank converts the amount into your currency at its own rate.
Every order includes a free card with your text. If you are unsure about a city, an address format or the right bouquet for the occasion, call us on 8 (812) 507-67-05 and we will help you complete the order.
Frequently asked questions
Which countries can I send flowers to?
We deliver across Russia and to 54 countries abroad, more than 1670 cities, including the USA, the United Kingdom, Poland, France, Spain, Egypt, Germany and Canada. The full list is on the Flower delivery abroad page.
Is delivery included in the price for orders abroad?
Yes. On country and city pages the price is already converted to rubles and already includes delivery. The 500 RUB delivery fee applies to Russian cities.
Can I pay with a foreign bank card?
Yes, foreign bank cards are accepted via Robokassa. You can also pay by Russian bank card, SBP or Yandex Pay.
Will the recipient know who sent the flowers?
Only if you sign the card. Delivery is anonymous by default, and the courier does not name the sender.
Can I choose a delivery time in Russia?
Yes. In large cities you can choose express delivery in 1-2 hours, an exact time, a three-hour window or a date up to 30 days ahead. In Saint Petersburg delivery is around the clock.
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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