I Need to Send Flowers: What to Decide and How to Order
If you need to send flowers, you need four things: a bouquet, the recipient's address and phone number, a delivery time, and the text for the card. Choose the bouquet in our catalogue, enter those details and pay online; we deliver it ourselves, with city delivery at 500 RUB and, in Saint Petersburg, around the clock. Everything else is about making the gift land well.
We have run flower shops in Saint Petersburg since 2011, and the same questions come up at our counters every day, from customers in the shop and from people calling from abroad. This guide answers them in the order they usually arise, so you can place the order in a few minutes and be confident about what happens next.
Start with the occasion, not the flowers
The first thing our florists ask is not which flowers you like but what the bouquet is for. A birthday, an apology, a new baby, a thank-you to a doctor and condolences each call for a different scale and palette. For a birthday or anniversary, bright mixed bouquets and roses in warm shades are safe. For condolences, white and cream flowers in a calm, restrained arrangement are customary, and in Russia an even number of stems is reserved for mourning.
For every happy occasion in Russia, give an odd number of stems. Younger recipients rarely mind, but parents and grandparents notice, and it is an easy rule to follow. If you are unsure, a composition in a box or basket sidesteps the question entirely, because nobody counts the stems in an arrangement.
Think also about the person receiving it. A tall bouquet of long-stemmed roses looks impressive, but an elderly relative may struggle to find a vase for it, while a compact hand-tied bouquet or a box arrangement that needs no vase is far more practical.
Season is the other quiet factor. In spring, tulips, mimosa and ranunculus are at their best; in summer, peonies and garden-style mixes; in autumn and winter, roses, chrysanthemums and hydrangeas hold up best. Flowers in season are fresher, last longer in the vase and look more natural, so if you have no strong preference, tell us the occasion and the colours the recipient likes and let the florist pick the freshest stems of the day.
The details the courier really needs
An address in Russia should include the street, building, entrance, floor and flat number, plus a door code if there is one. Many apartment buildings have a closed courtyard or an intercom, and a missing flat number is the most common reason for a delay. The recipient's phone number is just as important: our courier calls about 15 minutes before arrival to make sure someone is home.
If you do not know the exact address, it is often still possible to deliver; we explain how in our article on how to send flowers without an address. In that case the recipient's phone number becomes essential.
If the recipient turns out not to be at home, we do not simply give up on the delivery. We agree a second delivery the same day or, with your consent, hand the bouquet to a neighbour or the concierge. If you know a neighbour or concierge who could take it, mention this when you order so the courier does not have to guess.
Bouquets we can deliver
Choosing the delivery time
In large cities we offer express delivery within 1-2 hours after the order is confirmed. If the moment matters, choose an exact time, with the courier arriving within 30 minutes either side of it, or one of the time windows: 09-12, 12-15, 15-18 or 18-21. For birthdays and anniversaries, pre-order 1 to 30 days ahead; it removes the risk of forgetting and gives the florists time to prepare the bouquet calmly.
In Saint Petersburg delivery runs around the clock, so a bouquet can arrive at midnight on a birthday or early in the morning before someone leaves for work. When you order from another time zone, set the time in Russian local time and double-check it, because this is where most mix-ups with overseas orders happen.
For busy dates such as 8 March, 14 February and 1 September, order a few days in advance. Demand on those days is high, and an order placed early leaves you the widest choice of bouquets and time slots.
If you are ordering for a surprise at work, check the office hours and the exact entrance, and give a colleague's phone number if the recipient cannot be told in advance. Business centres often have a reception or security desk where the courier must register, and that takes a few extra minutes.
What to write on the card
A card with your text is free, and it matters more than many people expect. Delivery is anonymous by default: the courier does not name the sender, so the card is the only way the recipient learns who the flowers are from. If you want to stay anonymous, simply leave the card unsigned or sign it with a hint only the recipient will understand.
Keep the message short and personal: two or three sentences read better on a small card than a long paragraph. If the recipient reads only Russian, it is worth writing in Russian, even a simple line, or a short message in both languages. Avoid in-jokes that could be misread if someone else opens the door.
For condolences, a brief line is enough, such as words of sympathy and the names of the senders. For a business recipient, include your full name and company so the flowers are not mistaken for a personal gesture.
Paying from abroad
Payment is online on the site by bank card, SBP or Yandex Pay. Foreign bank cards are accepted, with payment processed via Robokassa, so you can pay from abroad without asking relatives in Russia to help. The price is shown in rubles, and your bank converts it at its own rate.
City delivery costs 500 RUB. For remote districts and suburbs, the operator confirms the delivery price when confirming the order, so you know the full amount before anything is delivered. All conditions are collected on the delivery and payment page.
If something about the order is unclear, from the bouquet to the address format, call us on 8 (812) 507-67-05. It is quicker to settle a detail by phone before payment than to correct it afterwards.
Ask the recipient to keep the bouquet away from the fruit bowl as well. Ripening apples and bananas release ethylene, a gas that makes petals drop early. If one flower fades sooner than the rest, it should be removed straight away so it does not speed up the decline of its neighbours.
After the flowers arrive
A good bouquet should last a week or more, and a few minutes of care at the start make the biggest difference. Advise the recipient to trim the stems at an angle, remove leaves that would sit in the water, and keep the vase away from radiators and direct sun. Changing the water every one or two days does the rest.
If the recipient lives in a warm apartment in winter, the coolest room in the home is the best place for the vase, especially at night. Chrysanthemums, alstroemeria and carnations cope best with dry, heated air, which is worth remembering when you choose a bouquet for the cold months.
Frequently asked questions
What do I need to send flowers in Russia?
The recipient's full address with flat number, their phone number, the delivery time and your card text. Choose a bouquet, enter these details and pay online.
Can I pay with a card issued outside Russia?
Yes. Foreign bank cards are accepted, and payment goes through Robokassa. You can also pay by SBP or Yandex Pay.
How quickly can flowers be delivered?
In large cities express delivery takes 1-2 hours after the order is confirmed. In Saint Petersburg we deliver around the clock.
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.
What if the recipient is not home?
The courier calls about 15 minutes before arrival. If nobody is there, we agree a second delivery the same day or, with your consent, leave the flowers with a neighbour or concierge.
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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