Handling Flowers at Home and Sending Bouquets to Russia
Handling flowers starts with clean hands, a clean vase and freshly trimmed stems placed promptly in water. Keep leaves below the waterline out of the vase, protect petals from pressure, and position the bouquet away from heat and direct sunlight. Check the water daily and remove fading material before it spoils the rest of the arrangement.
Customers at Pyat Tsvetov (5 Flowers) often need advice for two moments: receiving a bouquet and sending one to someone far away. We have run our Saint Petersburg flower shops since 2011, and both situations call for practical decisions about care, timing and the recipient’s surroundings. This guide covers everyday flower handling alongside the details that matter when ordering flowers to Russia from abroad.
Prepare the vase before unpacking the bouquet
Wash the vase with detergent, rinse it thoroughly and check the inside for residue from earlier bouquets. A narrow neck can hide a film that a quick rinse leaves behind, so use a suitable brush if needed. Choose a vessel that supports the stems without squeezing them together; a crowded opening makes it harder to inspect the water and remove deteriorating leaves.
Unwrap the bouquet on a clear surface and support it beneath the flower heads and around the stems. Remove transport wrapping that would sit in the water or prevent the stems from fitting comfortably. If a tie holds a hand-tied bouquet in shape, you can leave it in place while trimming, provided it does not force the stems into an unsuitable vase.
Use clean, sharp secateurs or a suitable knife to remove a small section from the base of each stem. Make a clean cut rather than crushing the ends with blunt scissors, then place the flowers in water promptly. Strip off leaves that would be submerged, but retain healthy foliage above the waterline. If flower food is supplied, follow its packet directions instead of guessing the concentration.
Keep the water clean and inspect the stems
Check the water level every day, especially soon after arranging a bouquet, when the level may fall noticeably. All stem ends need to remain submerged, including shorter stems hidden near the edge of the arrangement. Do not rely on how full the vase looked yesterday; look through the glass or gently check the level without pulling the bouquet apart.
Replace the water when it becomes cloudy or develops an unpleasant smell, and clean the vase before refilling it. While the flowers are out, remove any softened leaves or deteriorating stems and refresh the stem ends with a clean cut. Where you use flower food, mix the replacement solution according to the instructions. Avoid adding improvised mixtures of sugar, alcohol or household cleaners.
Different flowers in a mixed bouquet can fade at different rates, so assess each stem individually. Remove spent blooms before loose petals and decaying tissue fall into the water. A smaller, clean arrangement is easier to maintain than a full vase containing deteriorating material. If a stem bends, avoid repeatedly straightening it; a sound upper section may suit a shorter vase if enough healthy stem remains.
Bouquets we can deliver
Protect flowers from heat, pressure and rough movement
Put the vase somewhere stable, away from radiators, heating vents and prolonged direct sunlight. Keep it clear of ripening fruit, which releases ethylene that can accelerate ageing in sensitive flowers. Choose a position where curtains, passing sleeves and cupboard doors will not brush against the petals. A bright windowsill can be convenient for display but unsuitable if it becomes hot during the day.
When moving a bouquet, hold it around the stems and support its weight rather than lifting it by the wrapping alone. Petals can bruise when pressed even if the damage is not immediately obvious. Keep the flower heads clear of door frames and car doors, and avoid putting bags or coats on top of them. For a vase arrangement, carry the vessel securely from its base.
In cold weather, have an indoor space ready before taking off protective wrapping. Avoid leaving flowers exposed outdoors while looking for keys or arranging a photograph, and do not try to warm them beside a heater. The right handling depends on the flowers and the conditions, so a single temperature rule is not useful for every bouquet. Our guide to handling flowers in cold Russian weather covers this part of the journey in more detail.
Choose flowers with the recipient and occasion in mind
Start with what the recipient enjoys: colour, fragrance, flower type and the space where the bouquet will stand. Strongly scented flowers can be distracting in a shared office or a small bedroom, even when the recipient likes their appearance. If fragrance sensitivity or an allergy matters, discuss it before choosing. A photograph shows shape and colour, but it cannot tell you how a bouquet will smell.
For Russian occasions, an odd number of stems is the usual choice when giving a small, countable bouquet for a celebration. Even numbers are commonly associated with mourning, so stem count deserves attention when selecting a simple bunch. Colour meanings are less fixed: yellow does not carry the same message for every person, and personal taste may matter more than a symbolic interpretation.
Consider pets before choosing flowers for a home, particularly if you do not know where the bouquet will be displayed. Lilies are highly toxic to cats, and simply placing them on a high shelf is not a dependable precaution. Ask about suitable choices if the recipient has animals. You can use the bouquets catalogue to explore designs, then check any care or suitability concern before placing the order.
Arrange delivery around the recipient’s day
When ordering from abroad, prepare the recipient’s name, a reachable telephone number and the full delivery address, including useful access details. Check the Russian city carefully and use the recipient’s local date and time when discussing arrival. Include your own working contact details so an order question can be resolved without delay. Questions can be discussed by phone on 8 (812) 507-67-05.
We deliver flowers across Russia, with city delivery costing 500 RUB; the operator confirms the delivery price for remote districts and suburbs when confirming the order. In large cities, express delivery is available in 1–2 hours after order confirmation. You can also arrange an exact time with a tolerance of ±30 minutes, choose a 09–12, 12–15, 15–18 or 18–21 window, or pre-order 1–30 days ahead. Around-the-clock delivery is available in Saint Petersburg.
Choose a delivery period when the recipient can bring the flowers indoors and put them in water. For an office gift, account for meetings and the journey home; for a home delivery, consider school runs or other regular absences. The courier calls the recipient about 15 minutes before arrival, so a surprise still involves a practical contact call. The delivery and payment information is a useful reference while arranging the order.
Make the handover and your message easy to understand
Delivery is anonymous by default: the courier does not name the sender. If you want the recipient to know who sent the flowers, include your name in the card text. A card with your message is free, so use it to make the occasion and relationship clear. Check names and spelling carefully, especially when writing in a language or alphabet the recipient uses differently from you.
If the recipient is absent, we agree a second delivery on the same day or a handover to a neighbour or concierge with the sender’s consent. Decide whether either handover option would suit the recipient before delivery, particularly in a building with shared access. Do not assume that leaving flowers with another person will always be appropriate. Accurate contact details help us agree the next step.
At online checkout, payment is through CloudPayments; check the options displayed there for your card. If you are ordering from another country, do not assume that every foreign-issued card will be accepted. Once the flowers arrive, the most useful immediate step is to prepare the vase and water before spending time photographing the bouquet. Keep any supplied care instructions, since an arrangement in a water-holding base may need different handling from loose cut stems.
Frequently asked questions
Should I remove all the wrapping when flowers arrive?
Remove wrapping that would enter the vase water or obstruct comfortable placement of the stems. A hand-tied bouquet can retain its supporting tie, while flowers arranged in a water-holding base should be cared for according to their supplied instructions.
How often should I change the water in a bouquet?
Inspect the water daily and replace it if it becomes cloudy or smells unpleasant, cleaning the vase at the same time. Top up as needed so every stem end remains submerged, and follow the directions if you use flower food.
Can I send flowers to Russia while living abroad?
We deliver flowers across Russia, so prepare the recipient’s address, telephone number and preferred delivery timing before ordering. Online payment uses CloudPayments; check the options shown at checkout because acceptance of every foreign-issued card is not guaranteed.
Will the recipient be told who sent the bouquet?
The courier does not name the sender because delivery is anonymous by default. To identify yourself, add your name to the free card message.
What happens if nobody is there to receive the flowers?
We agree a second delivery the same day or a handover to a neighbour or concierge with the sender’s consent. The courier calls the recipient about 15 minutes before arrival, so providing a reachable number matters.
Ready to send a bouquet?
Pick a city, choose the flowers, and we will hand them over with a photo confirmation.
Choose a city →