How to send flowers by courier: a guide for sending to Russia
To send flowers by courier, choose a bouquet, prepare the recipient’s delivery address and phone number, and select a delivery date and timing option. With Pyat Tsvetov (5 Flowers), you can order flowers for delivery across Russia and pay through CloudPayments at online checkout. Check the payment options displayed there, especially when ordering from abroad, and treat the delivery arrangement as settled once your order is confirmed.
Customers in our Saint Petersburg shops often start with practical concerns: choosing flowers for someone far away, keeping the sender’s identity private, or reaching a person during a busy working day. Those details deserve as much attention as the bouquet itself. Pyat Tsvetov has been operating since 2011 and has three own flower shops in Saint Petersburg. This guide explains how to prepare an order, choose a suitable arrangement and make the handover easier for the recipient.
1. Prepare the details that make delivery possible
Begin with the recipient’s name, phone number and complete delivery address, including the city. For an apartment building, add the flat number and any entrance, floor or intercom details you know; for a workplace, include the company name and reception instructions. Use the address as the recipient would write it, retaining the Russian spelling where possible. Check building numbers and letter suffixes carefully, since a small transcription error can point to a different entrance or property.
Choose an address where the recipient is likely to be during the requested period, rather than automatically using their home address. If you only know a workplace or an incomplete address, identify what is missing before treating the order as ready for delivery. Our guide to sending flowers without an address explores the details a courier needs. Keep your own contact information accurate so any uncertainty about the order can be resolved with you.
2. Choose flowers for the person and the setting
Start with the recipient’s preferences rather than a fixed rule about which flower belongs to which occasion. A favourite colour or a flower they already enjoy usually gives a clearer direction than an elaborate symbolic message. Browse the bouquets catalogue with the destination in mind: someone receiving flowers at work may need to carry them home afterwards. Consider whether the arrangement will sit comfortably on their desk or table and whether they have a suitable vase.
For a birthday or family celebration, colour can set the mood without needing a complicated explanation. Red roses are often read as romantic, while mixed colours can feel more appropriate for a friend, relative or colleague, depending on their taste. When choosing a bouquet with countable stems for a Russian recipient, be aware that odd numbers are customary for celebrations and even numbers are traditionally associated with mourning. If the household has cats, avoid lilies: true lilies and daylilies are highly toxic to them.
Bouquets we can deliver
3. Match the delivery time to the recipient’s day
When ordering from another country, translate your preferred arrival time into the time at the delivery destination. Russia spans several time zones, so the date and hour on your own phone may not match the recipient’s day. Express delivery in large cities is available in 1–2 hours after the order is confirmed; count from confirmation when assessing whether that option suits the occasion. Leave room in your plans for confirmation, especially if the flowers are intended for a particular gathering.
Other timing options include delivery at an exact time with a tolerance of plus or minus 30 minutes, or in the windows 09–12, 12–15, 15–18 and 18–21. Orders can also be placed 1–30 days ahead, which is useful when arranging a gift around travel or a birthday. Choose a window that fits the recipient’s routine, and explain any important timing constraint when arranging the order. In Saint Petersburg, delivery is available around the clock; that availability should not be assumed for other cities.
4. Check the delivery charge and complete checkout
City delivery costs 500 RUB. For remote districts and suburbs, the operator confirms the delivery price when confirming the order, so give the precise destination before settling your expectations about the total. A place described informally as being near a city may still require clarification about the delivery charge. Read the delivery and payment information alongside your order details, and check that the bouquet, date and destination all match your intention.
Online checkout uses CloudPayments, and the options shown at checkout are the ones to check before paying. If you are ordering from abroad, do not assume that every foreign-issued card will be accepted. Check the amount and currency displayed, then follow the checkout instructions and any authentication requested by your bank. If payment does not complete, establish its status before making another attempt; questions about the order can be raised by phone on 8 (812) 507-67-05.
5. Write the card and plan the courier’s handover
Delivery is anonymous by default: the courier does not name the sender. A card with your text is free, so include your name in the message if you want the recipient to recognise the gift immediately. A short, specific note usually carries more feeling than a formal greeting: mention the occasion, a shared memory or what you wish for them. Check names, spelling and the intended language before submitting the text, particularly when moving between Cyrillic and Latin letters.
The courier calls the recipient about 15 minutes before arrival, so the surprise needs to allow for that practical contact. Make sure the number belongs to the person receiving the flowers and consider whether they can answer during the chosen period. If the recipient is absent, we agree a second delivery the same day or, with the sender’s consent, hand the flowers to a neighbour or concierge. Think beforehand about whether you would consent to that handover, taking account of the building and the recipient’s preferences.
6. Help the flowers settle in after arrival
For a bouquet of cut stems, the useful next step is a clean vase filled with fresh water. Remove any leaves that would sit below the waterline, then trim the stem ends with a clean, sharp tool before placing them in water. Follow any flower-food instructions supplied, including the stated dilution, rather than guessing the amount. If the flowers are arranged in floral foam, care is different: check the foam’s moisture and add water carefully to the container instead of dismantling the arrangement.
Place the flowers away from radiators, direct sunlight and ripening fruit, and keep the container where it cannot easily be knocked over. Check the water daily, refresh it when it becomes cloudy and remove fading material as it appears. Different flowers open and age at different rates, so assess the stems individually instead of expecting every bloom to change together. For a recipient who rarely buys flowers, a brief care reminder in your own message can make the gift easier to enjoy without turning the greeting into a long set of instructions.
Frequently asked questions
Can I order flowers to Russia while I am abroad?
Yes, we deliver flowers across Russia, and online checkout uses CloudPayments. Check the payment options displayed at checkout, as acceptance of every foreign-issued card is not guaranteed.
How quickly can a courier deliver the flowers?
Express delivery in large cities takes 1–2 hours after the order is confirmed. You can also arrange an exact time within plus or minus 30 minutes, choose an available delivery window, or pre-order 1–30 days ahead.
Will the recipient know who sent the bouquet?
The courier does not name the sender because delivery is anonymous by default. Include your name in the free card text if you want the recipient to know the flowers are from you.
What happens if nobody is there to receive the flowers?
We agree a second delivery the same day or handing the flowers to a neighbour or concierge with the sender’s consent. The courier calls the recipient about 15 minutes before arrival.
How much does delivery cost, and is it available at night?
City delivery costs 500 RUB; the operator confirms the price for remote districts and suburbs when confirming the order. Around-the-clock delivery is available in Saint Petersburg.
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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