The Best Way to Send Flowers to Someone Abroad
The best way to send flowers to someone abroad is to order a fresh bouquet that is made and delivered in the recipient's own country, rather than trying to ship flowers across borders. Cut flowers do not survive international post or customs, so the bouquet must start its journey in the recipient's city. You choose the bouquet, give the address, the phone number and the card text, pay online, and the courier brings it to the door the same way a local order would arrive.
At Pyat Tsvetov we hear this question from two sides: customers in Saint Petersburg who want to surprise a daughter in Berlin or a friend in Toronto, and people abroad who want flowers to reach their parents in Russia. The principles are the same in both directions. Below is what we explain at the counter, from choosing the right flowers to getting the address details right.
Why flowers are never shipped across the border
Customers sometimes ask whether we can pack a bouquet from our shop and send it by courier to another country. The answer is no, and it is not a question of convenience. Cut flowers need water every few hours, a cool temperature and careful handling, and international parcels spend days in sorting centres and customs. Plant material also falls under phytosanitary rules in most countries, so a box of fresh roses would likely be held or destroyed at the border.
That is why serious international flower delivery always works the same way: the order is placed in one country and the bouquet is made close to the recipient. For you as the sender, this means the flowers arrive fresh, on the date you chose, without customs forms or import duties. It also means the bouquet you see on the page is a design, and the exact flowers may vary slightly with the season in that country.
Gifts that can travel, such as chocolates, books or dried-flower compositions, are a different case, but they cannot replace a fresh bouquet on a birthday morning.
Sending flowers from Russia to another country
Besides delivery across Russia, we also deliver flowers abroad: to 53 countries and more than 1630 cities, including the USA, the United Kingdom, Poland, France, Spain, Egypt, Germany and Canada. The full list of countries and cities is on our page Flower delivery abroad; the page is in Russian, but the country names are easy to find.
An order abroad is placed the same way as an order in Russia. You choose a bouquet on the country or city page, enter the address and the card text, and pay online in rubles. The price shown is already converted to rubles and already includes delivery, so there is no separate shipping line to calculate. Please note that the 500 RUB city delivery fee and the express and time-window options apply to Russian cities, not to orders abroad.
For questions about a specific country or city before you pay, call us at 8 (812) 507-67-05. We will tell you what to put in the address and the comment so the order goes smoothly. If budget is your main concern, our guide to the cheapest way to send flowers abroad explains how to get the most from a modest order.
Bouquets we can deliver
Sending flowers to Russia from abroad
If you live abroad and want flowers to reach someone in Russia, we deliver across the country ourselves. City delivery costs 500 RUB; for remote districts and suburbs the operator confirms the price when confirming the order. In large cities you can choose express delivery within 1-2 hours after confirmation, an exact time with a margin of plus or minus 30 minutes, one of the windows 09-12, 12-15, 15-18 or 18-21, or a pre-order 1 to 30 days ahead. In Saint Petersburg our delivery works around the clock.
Payment from abroad is simple: foreign bank cards are accepted, with payment processed via Robokassa. Russian bank cards, SBP and Yandex Pay are also available, which helps when a relative in Russia wants to share the cost. Choose a bouquet in the Bouquets catalogue, and for the delivery terms and payment details see Delivery and payment.
Our three own shops in Saint Petersburg, on Ilyushina Street, Obvodny Canal Embankment and Srednerogatskaya Street, have been working since 2011, so most of the orders we receive from abroad for this city are made in our own workshops. For a step-by-step overview focused on Russia, read Best Way to Send Flowers to Russia.
Choosing flowers that suit the country and the occasion
Flower etiquette differs between countries, and it is worth a minute of thought. In Russia, an even number of stems is associated with funerals, so for happy occasions small bouquets should have an odd number of flowers. In France and Italy, chrysanthemums are linked to cemeteries, while in Russia they are an ordinary, cheerful flower. In many countries, red roses mean romance, so for a colleague or a mother-in-law a mixed bouquet in soft or bright tones is the safer choice.
Seasonality matters more abroad than at home, because you cannot see the flowers in the shop. Roses, chrysanthemums, alstroemeria, carnations and lisianthus are available almost everywhere all year and travel well within a city. Peonies, lilacs and ranunculus are seasonal, and a bouquet built around them may be adjusted if they are out of season in the recipient's country. When the exact variety matters less than the mood, choose a bouquet by colour scheme.
Think about the recipient's home too. A tall bouquet needs a tall vase, which a student flat may not have, while a box arrangement stands on its own. For an elderly recipient, a compact bouquet that is easy to carry and place is often more welcome than a large showpiece.
Details that decide whether the delivery succeeds
Most failed international deliveries are caused by small gaps in the address, not by the flowers. Give the full address in the format of that country: street, building, flat or apartment number, entrance code if there is one, and postal code. Always add the recipient's phone number with the international dialling code. Our courier calls the recipient about 15 minutes before arriving, and without a working number the courier cannot find the door.
Consider the time zone and the recipient's schedule. A bouquet sent to an office on a Saturday or to a home address when the person is at work may wait or need a second attempt. If the recipient is not there, we agree a second delivery the same day or, with your consent as the sender, leave the flowers with a neighbour or concierge.
Delivery is anonymous by default: the courier does not name the sender. If you want the recipient to know the flowers are from you, sign the card. A card with your text is free, and a few warm lines in the recipient's language or in your own often matter as much as the bouquet.
A simple checklist before you pay
Before confirming the order, check five things: the recipient's full name as it appears on the door or buzzer, the complete address with postal code, a phone number with the country code, the delivery date in the recipient's local time, and the card text with your signature. These details take two minutes to verify and prevent nearly every problem we see.
Order a few days ahead for dates that are busy everywhere, such as Valentine's Day, Mother's Day in the recipient's country, and in Russia, 8 March. Couriers are busiest on those days, and a pre-order gives you the widest choice of bouquets and the calmest delivery. If you are unsure about anything, call 8 (812) 507-67-05 before paying rather than after.
Frequently asked questions
Can I post a bouquet to another country?
No. Cut flowers do not survive international shipping and are usually stopped at customs. The bouquet must be made and delivered in the recipient's country.
Which countries does Pyat Tsvetov deliver to?
We deliver to 53 countries and more than 1630 cities, including the USA, the United Kingdom, Germany, France, Spain, Poland, Egypt and Canada. The full list is on the Flower delivery abroad page, which is in Russian.
Is delivery included in the price for orders abroad?
Yes. For orders abroad, the price is shown in rubles and already includes delivery. The 500 RUB fee applies to city delivery in Russia.
Can I pay with a foreign card to send flowers to Russia?
Yes. Foreign bank cards are accepted, with payment processed via Robokassa. Bank cards, SBP and Yandex Pay are also available.
Will the recipient know who sent the flowers?
Delivery is anonymous by default, so the courier does not name the sender. Sign the free card if you want the recipient to know the bouquet is from you.
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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