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All You Need to Know About Flower Delivery

Monday, April 27, 2020

What’s better than arriving home to a beautiful bouquet? In most people’s opinion, not much. Flower delivery is one of the best ways to tell a person you care. Whether for birthdays, holidays, or every day, flower delivery is a great option.

There is a lot that goes into flower delivery. The rest of this article tells you everything you need to know. Whether you are sending a gift or wanting to start your flower delivery service, this article is for you. Keep reading to learn everything you need to know about flower delivery and how to pick the best online flower delivery service for you.

Close-up of lush white hydrangea flowers with large green leaves in a glass vase, set on a wooden surface for a refreshing home decor atmosphere.

What is flower delivery?

Okay, this one may be fairly obvious. Flower delivery is the act of having flowers delivered to a person’s home or business. But that simple definition does not give you the whole story.

Flower delivery is a major part of floriculture. Floriculture is another word for flower farming. Often the farming of flowers takes place in a greenhouse setting. This structure allows the growing conditions to be tightly controlled. Some flower farming takes place outdoors, in the ground. The location and season will determine the ability to grow certain types of flowers.

Floriculture has been around for millennia, a history that is discussed more fully in the next section. A lot of the floriculture industry is focused on providing flowers for the nursery market. Yet, another large portion of the industry is spent on flower delivery.

Flower delivery can come in many forms. You could order flowers through a completely online company. Here at BloomsyBox, we are an online flower delivery and flower subscription service. We’d highly recommend using an online company like ourselves since we are experts in flower delivery. You could also choose to place an order with your local nursery if flower delivery is offered, but your flowers may arrive damaged.

Sometimes people order flowers for themselves or events. You may prefer to have a fresh bouquet on your dining room table. Perhaps there is a fancy event coming up, like a wedding, that requires a large flower delivery. The final way that people use flower delivery services is as a gift.

History of flower delivery

Before going too much further into flower delivery, it is important to know its history. Floriculture has been around since at least the ancient Egyptians. That civilization was known to arrange flowers in vases. It is the first known instance of flower arranging and the use of flowers for beauty instead of medicine.

Since the ancient Egyptians began arranging flowers around 2,500 BCE, clearly floriculture has a long and rich history. The ancient Greeks and Romans also arranged flowers, as did societies in China, Europe, and the United States.

While the floriculture industry has been around for millennia, flower delivery has not. The first known instance of a flower delivery service was in 1910 in the United States. The Florists’ Telegraph Delivery Service (FTD) provided wire delivery of flowers. What this meant was that the members of FTD used a telegraph to exchange flower orders among themselves.

There are still wire flower delivery services in the United States. These typically allow you to place your order via the telephone. Telegraph access is no longer needed.

However, with the rise of the internet in the last two decades, online flower delivery has become much more common. Today, there are several nation-wide online flower delivery companies. Some specialize in a limited number of flowers, while others provide a much greater range of flowers to choose from. You can go here to learn about how a BloomsyBox flower subscription works. There are so many options in the market today, that you can easily find the group or service best suited to your floral delivery needs.

Why send flowers?

There are several reasons to choose flower delivery over just picking up your flowers or sending no flowers at all.

  • Most importantly, flower delivery is the most convenient option. Purchasing some flowers at a local nursery can be good. It helps support your local businesses. But, it also means that you have to physically go to the nursery, choose the flowers, wait for them to be arranged, and then return to pick up your arrangement. When you order flowers for delivery, especially from an online company, you get to do all of the steps from the comfort of your own home. You don’t even need to deliver the flowers to their recipient, the delivery service does this for you.
  • You get complete control over the origin of your flowers. This may be an advantage that some people do not consider. Yet, you have complete control when you order flowers for delivery. You can do the research needed to find a brand whose mission statement is aligned with your own. If farm-to-table flowers are important to you, you need to purchase from a flower delivery service like us at BloomsyBox. The flowers you purchase at your local nursery or grocery store will not have their origin marked.
  • There are more options. At a physical nursery, your options will be limited to the flowers the store has in stock. They can also not usually fit all types of flowers in their location. That means your choices are limited. When you order flower delivery, you have infinite choices. You can choose the exact arrangement and flowers you want for your gift.

What occasions are ideal for delivered flowers?

There is truly no bad time to send flowers to friends or loved ones. A beautiful arrangement of flowers says “I love you” no matter the occasion. Yet, there are a few ceremonies or holidays where flowers are traditionally given as gifts.

The most common occasions for flower delivery are as follows.

  • Whether for a funeral or memorial service, it is very common to send flowers as a show of sympathy.
  • Flowers are often delivered as a sign of love. Traditionally a man sends flowers to a woman. In 2020, that does not have to be the case. Even with changing cultural roles, certain flowers association with love has not evolved. Roses, tulips, daisies, and orchids are all flowers used to show romantic attachment.
  • Get Well Soon. If you have a friend, acquaintance, or loved one who is ill, it is common to send flowers. Brightly colored flowers can add a bit of cheer to a dreary situation. Just be careful when setting up a flower delivery to a hospital. Some hospitals do not allow flowers. So do your research before sending flowers to a hospital.
  • Work Event. Flower delivery isn’t just appropriate for loved ones and friends. It is completely appropriate to have flowers delivered to a work event or colleague. You may want to keep the size a bit smaller in these situations.
  • This is the big one. It wouldn’t be a wedding without flowers. In modern times, most wedding flowers are delivered on the day of the event. This is a space where online flower delivery companies shine.
  • If you can’t be with a friend or loved one on their birthday, you may want to send them flowers instead. Flowers can tell a person that you are thinking of them.
  • Some holidays are more associated with flower delivery than others. Certain flowers are also closely related to specific holidays. For example, poinsettias are the most commonly delivered flowers around Christmas. Valentine’s Day is probably the most famous flower-related holiday. But, flowers can fit into any special day.

Why are delivered flowers a popular gift?

As you can see from the list above, delivered flowers are extremely popular as a gift. There are very few occasions where a flower delivery would not be welcome. Although flower delivery is more common in some instances, you can send flowers for any reason. Now, you may be wondering why delivering flowers has become so popular in the first place.

Delivered flowers likely go back to the origins of flower delivery. Although there were no trucks or online delivery services available in Ancient Egypt, a person could still give flowers to one another.

The modern tradition of giving flowers as a gift began in Europe in the Middle Ages. It was most common with the English and French. Flowers as gifts have remained popular since that time. By the Victorian era, many rules governed the sending of flowers as gifts. There were even guidelines about the emotion or feeling each type of flower represented.

Many people still believe flowers have different meanings. That is one of the main reasons for giving flowers is such a popular option. They are an easy way of telling someone how you feel about them. Flowers are especially wonderful at giving messages that are hard to say. For example, flowers can provide comfort to a grieving person when words just are not enough.

Another reason for the popularity of flowers as gifts is that most people enjoy them. Most flowers are brightly colored. They brighten up any room, and usually just bring a smile to someone’s face. There are so many types of flowers available that you can likely find one the recipient prefers.

How to find a good flower delivery service?

Once you decide to send flowers, the next step is very important. That step is finding a great flower delivery service. There are a few things you should look for when searching for a good flower delivery service.

  • They should have a fast and reliable delivery.

It doesn’t do any good to purchase flowers as a gift if they are not delivered to the recipient in a timely fashion. The top flower delivery services have fast delivery of your order.

The timing of the delivery will likely depend on the type of flowers you order and the quantity. But there should be an easy-to-find breakdown of the timetable. Here at BloomsyBox we even allow you to change the delivery date of your flowers from the 4th through the 9th of every month. You could also choose to order from a monthly flower subscription service like ourselves.

  • They should have a wide variety of flowers and colors.

Unless the person you are giving the flowers to loves one or two types of flowers, you will need variety. Look for a flower delivery service that has multiple options available. Even if there are not infinite flower types available, there should be many different colors.

Fillers are also important if you are putting together a bouquet as a gift. You want a variety of textures and colors in the bouquet to bring out the beauty of the flowers.

  • They should be transparent about where they get their flowers.

Most nurseries in the United States get their flowers from Columbia. Columbia supplies an estimated 70% of the floriculture industry in the U.S. with flowers. There is nothing inherently wrong with purchasing flowers from Columbia. However, they will likely not be organic, fair trade certified, or environmentally-friendly.

The top flower delivery services are up-front about where they get their flowers. That information will help you decide if their products are right for you and align with your values.

  • They should have a wonderful customer service department.

Anytime you order a product for delivery, there is a chance that something could go wrong. The flowers may be damaged in transit, or they may not arrive at their destination at all. You need to find a flower delivery service that has a great customer service department.

The return and replacement policy should be available on their website as well. At BloomsyBox we put this information directly on our FAQ page. This policy lays out the exact circumstances in which you would receive a refund or replacement of your order. Make sure you are familiar with these policies before you make a purchase.

Conclusion

Flower delivery is not a very complicated process. You order the flowers for yourself or as a gift, they are sent out, and then delivered at the correct address. Such convenience is a truly 20th-21st century American concept. In the long history of using flowers as gifts, the rise of flower delivery services is a major plus.

As a topic with such a long history, there is a lot to learn about flowers and flower arranging. That is where a flower delivery service can be invaluable. Try out BloomsyBox today. We provide a lot of different flower, plant, and arrangements in our Flower Shop. Let us help you give the amazing gift of delivered flowers.

Anytime you order a product for delivery, there is a chance that something could go wrong. The flowers may be damaged in transit, or they may not arrive at their destination at all. You need to find a flower delivery service that has a great customer service department.