Ordering a Bouquet of Flowers: What Our Customers Ask First
To order a bouquet of flowers from Pyat Tsvetov, pick a bouquet in the online catalogue, enter the recipient's name, phone and address, choose a delivery time, add the card text and pay online, including with a foreign bank card. We deliver across Russia, city delivery costs 500 RUB, and in Saint Petersburg delivery runs around the clock.
We have run flower shops in Saint Petersburg since 2011, and the same handful of questions comes up every day, both at the counter and on the phone from customers abroad. This article goes through them in the order people usually ask: what to choose, how much is enough, when to deliver, what to write and how payment works when you live in another country.
“What would you choose for my mother?”
This is the most common question in our shops, and the answer always starts with a few questions back. Age, taste and the size of the home matter more than the occasion. Women of the older generation in Russia tend to love roses, chrysanthemums, alstroemeria and lilies in clear, warm colours, and they value a bouquet that will last a long time in a vase. Younger recipients more often like airy compositions with eustoma, spray roses, ranunculus or eucalyptus, in pastel or muted tones.
If you do not know the person's taste well, go for a balanced mixed bouquet in soft pink, cream or white with some greenery. It is the kind of bouquet nobody dislikes and that fits any interior. Avoid very bright, contrasting colour mixes for formal recipients such as a teacher, a doctor or a business contact: neat and restrained reads as more respectful.
Scent is worth thinking about too. Lilies and hyacinths are beautiful but strongly perfumed, which can be too much in a small flat or a hospital room, and lily pollen is toxic to cats. For a home with pets or a person sensitive to smells, roses, eustoma, gerberas and chrysanthemums are the safe choice.
“How many flowers is enough?”
Customers abroad often worry that a bouquet will look smaller than in the photo. The practical way to judge is by stem count and diameter, not by the picture. Seven to eleven roses make a tidy, modest gift; fifteen to twenty-five look generous; fifty-one or one hundred and one are for a proposal or a major anniversary and need a large, heavy vase that many people do not have at home.
Russian etiquette adds one rule: in a bouquet of single stems, the number should be odd. Even numbers are brought to funerals and memorials, and many people, especially older ones, notice this immediately. In large mixed bouquets with greenery nobody counts, so the rule matters mainly for roses, tulips and other mono-bouquets.
For a group gift, a jubilee or an office celebration, think about format rather than just size. A basket or a flower box stands on its own and does not need a vase, which is convenient at a restaurant or a reception. Our article on flowers for a Russian anniversary party covers group orders in more detail.
Colour also carries meaning for some recipients. Yellow flowers were long associated with separation in Russian folk belief; few people take this seriously now, but for a romantic bouquet to an older recipient it is simpler to choose pink, red, white or peach.
Bouquets we can deliver
“Can it arrive today, and at what time?”
In large cities express delivery takes 1-2 hours after the order is confirmed. If the timing matters, choose an exact time with a margin of plus or minus 30 minutes, or one of the windows: 09-12, 12-15, 15-18 or 18-21. For birthdays and anniversaries you know about in advance, a pre-order 1-30 days ahead removes any last-minute stress.
In Saint Petersburg we deliver around the clock, so a bouquet can arrive at midnight on a birthday or early in the morning before the recipient leaves for work. Before choosing a night or early slot, make sure the recipient will be pleased rather than woken up, and check the time difference with your own country.
The courier calls the recipient about 15 minutes before arrival. If nobody is home, we agree a second delivery the same day or, with your consent, leave the flowers with a neighbour or a concierge. A correct, current phone number for the recipient is therefore just as important as the address.
“What should I write on the card?”
A card with your text is free, and we recommend using it every time. Short and personal works best: the occasion, one warm sentence and the name the recipient knows you by. If you write in Russian and are not confident in the spelling, keep it simple; a slightly imperfect message from a grandchild abroad is still the part of the gift people keep longest.
Delivery is anonymous by default: the courier does not name the sender. If you want to be recognised, sign the card. If the bouquet is meant as a surprise from a secret admirer, leave the signature off and choose a neutral, friendly message.
For holidays there are a few customs worth knowing. On 8 March tulips and mimosa are traditional, and our note on mimosa on 8 March explains how long it lasts. For condolences, choose white or muted flowers, an even number of stems and a brief, respectful text.
“How do I pay from abroad?”
Payment is online on the site. You can use a bank card, SBP or Yandex Pay, and foreign bank cards are accepted through Robokassa, so you do not need a Russian card or a relative to pay on your behalf. City delivery costs 500 RUB; for remote districts and suburbs the operator confirms the price when confirming the order.
Fill in the order form carefully, because most delivery problems start there. Give the recipient's full name as they use it, a phone number they actually answer and the full address: street, building, entrance, floor, flat and door code if there is one. In Saint Petersburg many older buildings have courtyards and several entrances from different streets, so a note such as 'entrance from the courtyard, second door on the left' saves the courier real time.
All terms are collected on the delivery and payment page. If something is not clear, for example whether an address counts as a suburb, call us on 8 (812) 507-67-05 before paying and we will check it with you.
“How do I make it last?”
This is the question we hear after delivery, often from the recipient. Trim the stems at an angle by one or two centimetres with a sharp knife, remove all leaves that would sit under water and use a clean vase with cool water. Change the water every one or two days and trim the stems again each time.
Keep the bouquet away from radiators, direct sun and the fruit bowl: ripening fruit releases ethylene, which makes flowers age faster. A narrow-necked vase suits a small bouquet, while a wide bouquet needs a vase that supports the stems; our guide to vase shape explains which to use. With this care, roses, chrysanthemums and alstroemeria usually stay fresh for a week or more.
Frequently asked questions
Can I pay with a foreign bank card?
Yes. Foreign bank cards are accepted through Robokassa. You can also pay by bank card, SBP or Yandex Pay.
How much does delivery cost?
City delivery costs 500 RUB. For remote districts and suburbs the operator confirms the price when confirming the order.
Can you deliver at night in Saint Petersburg?
Yes, in Saint Petersburg delivery is around the clock. Choose an exact time when ordering so the courier arrives when you planned.
Will the recipient know who sent the bouquet?
Only if you sign the card. Delivery is anonymous by default, and the courier does not name the sender.
How can I ask a question before ordering?
Call us on 8 (812) 507-67-05. We can help you choose a bouquet and check delivery details for the address.
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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