The best flower delivery services, perfect for Christmas gift shopping
Whatever the occasion, sending flowers to friends and family is a timeless way to show your love – and now, you've got plenty of options that lie outside the traditional bunch of roses.
There's a new wave of creativity rippling through the floristry industry, with cool new start-ups making waves on Instagram and traditional London florists enjoying a major resurgence.
Below, we’ve curated a list of the best online flower delivery services that are guaranteed to bring some joy to someone's day. Whether it’s a romantic statement or a ‘just because’ gift, these luxury florists are guaranteed to deliver something memorable.
And with Christmas round the corner, signing a loved one to a subscription service, where you can receive a bunch of flowers on a regular basis, is the ideal gift.
The floristry trends to know now
Before you pick your bouquet, consider the latest floristry trends:
Letterbox flowers
As the name suggests, these flowers will fit through your letterbox, making them a wise choice if your recipient may not be home to receive them. Most arrive as buds, meaning they'll get to enjoy watching them bloom – and they'll likely last longer than a traditional hand-tied bouquet, too.
Single-variety bouquets
No longer the sole preserve of Valentine’s Day roses (although those are still a fail-safe move), single-variety bouquets make a sophisticated statement. Showcasing one species at its best, a bunch of single stems is a simple way to enjoy seasonal flora, from peonies in late spring to hydrangeas in summer. FlowerBx is the chicest example (which is unsurprising when you learn the brand was founded by Tom Ford alumni, Whitney Bromberg Hawkings).
Dried and faux flowers
If you want to give a gift that will truly last, dried and faux flowers offer a statement alternative to their fresh counterpart. Many of today's best flower delivery services now offer them – including our favourite, Bloom & Wild, which carries everything from colourful arrangements to pared-back pampas grass.
Flower subscriptions
A flower subscription allows you to schedule regular deliveries to you or your loved one’s home. Simply select how frequently you’d like them delivered and, in some cases, also the style of bouquet.
How to care for your flowers
There are a few simple steps you can take to make sure your flowers thrive for as long as possible. Firstly, check the care instructions that accompany your delivery – roses, for example, often arrive with protective outer guard petals, which are left on to prevent bruising in transit. Removing these will make your flowers truly shine.
Next, before placing them in water, trim stems by an inch or two, cutting at a diagonal angle so they can absorb more water. Strip away any leaves that sit below the waterline too, and remember to refresh the water every couple of days, trimming the stems a further centimetre when you do this.
Finally, consider where you display your flowers – placing them away from radiators and direct light will prevent delicate blooms from drying out early.
The best luxury flower delivery services for your most-loved recipients
Moyses Stevens
One of the very best florists in the country, Moyses Stevens has been creating show-stopping floral arrangements since 1876.
A true London institution (and the Royal's florist of choice) the brand now offers online delivery both nationwide and internationally. Dramatic, room-filling bouquets are the order of the day here, and you can add a bottle of Ruinart champagne or Trudon candle to make your order even more memorable.
Of course, the traditional red rose can be found in abundance here: the brand's Love To Tango bouquet contains 100 of them. For something that signals the joy of Spring, head to the Seasonal section and find a host of pastel-hued petals, from hydrangeas to mimosa.
Flowerbx
Whether you want something to match an interior colour scheme or have a specific, sentimental stem in mind, Flowerbx's single-variety bouquets are always a chic choice.
The brand's contemporary arrangements arrive fresh from the growers, and the options are plentiful: this season, don't miss the ephemeral mimosa collection.
Subscriptions, dried flowers and letterbox packages are also all available, and same-day delivery is available within certain postcodes.
Bloom & Wild
With whimsical arrangements and an intuitive ordering experience, Bloom & Wild makes both buying and receiving bouquets effortless, wherever you are in the UK (and no matter how late you've left it).
While next-day services aren't available on all arrangements, delivery is fast and reliable, and the brand's signature letterbox flowers are always a fail-safe choice – especially if you don't know your recipient's timetable.
Consider one of the brand's potted lemon trees or a pot of fragrant white jasmine for new homeowners, and for truly special sends, add a little extra something: the retailer offers Cowshed hand creams, vegan Coco chocolate, and even afternoon tea from London favourites, Cutter & Squidge.
Bloom
For especially fresh stems, head to sustainably minded florist Bloom: the service's 'market-fresh' option allows you to send seasonal stems, cut-to-order, to any home in the UK.
The single-variety bouquets are especially lovely – for Spring there's a rainbow of frothy flamingo-pink fringe tulips and antique lisianthus.
Even better, the packaging is entirely plastic free, and you can even design your own custom bouquet using the online service.
Your London Florist
Your London Florist masterfully combines traditional blooms with contemporary arrangement techniques to create bouquets guaranteed to be remembered. A springtime option with a difference, the By Your Side bouquet, pictured, is a joyful arrangement of vivid fuchsia and magenta stems.
Floom
Floom is clever floristry directory, through which you can shop independent businesses from your local area. The artisanal bouquets are delivered by hand, and there's a host of styles to explore.
Input your postcode first and search according to flower species, occasion, colour or delivery date. We love the contemporary arrangements currently on the site by London favourites Edie Rose, (pictured) and the artisanal Anja Floral.
Arena Flowers
While flowers aren't always the most sustainable gift, there are ways you can shop them more ethically. Arena offers eye-catching bouquets and potted plants sourced from Fairtrade-certified farms or suppliers, and for every order two trees are planted through a partnership with the Eden Reforestation Projects. What's more, the packaging doesn't contain any single-use plastic.
Flower Station
Flower Station is the best delivery service for big, classic bouquets that promise maximum impact. From vivid brights to classic white and green arrangements, there's something to please everyone here.
In London, the service caters for last-minute orders with same-day delivery, and you can also contact them around the clock. If you’re sending flowers further afield, they'll deliver Tuesday to Saturday, and the customer service team will assist with international delivery, too.
Appleyard London
Appleyard London makes sending flowers as easy as possible, with next-day delivery available Nationwide, and same-day on the cards for London-dwellers.
Classicists will love the timeless bunches of blood-red blooms, while those after something a little different will love the Rose Pearl bouquet, which is peppered with cheery daisies.
Waitrose Florist
A supermarket may not be the first place you'd turn to for luxe blooms, but Waitrose impresses with its high-quality, seasonal arrangements. The service is built for spontaneous sends, too: delivery is available seven days a week across the country.
Letterbox and dried arrangements are available, but to make a really special statement, we'd recommend this fresh and spring-like bouquet of hydrangeas and eucalyptus.
Bunches
Family-owned floristry business Bunches began as a market stall over twenty years ago. Now, the site will send a huge range of bouquets anywhere in the UK – and 10 per cent of the proceeds are donated to charity.
For that green-fingered friend, the brand also stocks a wide array of house plants – we'll be sending the sweet coffee plant this season.
Haute Florist
Forgotten a special date? Haute Florist offers next-day delivery across the UK for all orders placed by 10pm the night before. Letterbox options are also available, so your recipient doesn't have to be at home to take delivery.
Not just a practical option, the bouquets are beautiful too: try one of the brand's statement hat boxes for something truly memorable, or add a bottle of Moët & Chandon champagne to get the celebrations started.
Freddie's Flowers
Having delivered flowers for nearly a decade, Freddie's Flowers is a solid choice if you want to start decorating your home with beauty blooms thanks to their comprehensive subscription package. Offering either 'classic' arrangements or extravagant 'showstoppers', each subscription comes with flower food to keep your plants healthier for longer, as well as an arrangement guide so your bouquets can be perfectly displayed. Move over, Freddie...
Wild at Heart
If you want to decorate your house with floral artistry, look no further than Wild at Heart. Led by Nikki Tibbles, it's their tailor-made services that allow Wild at Heart to stand out compared to their competitors. The team works closely with you when considering colour schemes, décor, what the special occasion may be and personal preferences so you get the perfect bouquet to suit your needs.
The Flower Stand Chelsea
A Chelsea institution, the market stall on the corner of Fulham Road and Old Church Street now also does delivery. While the company sources flowers from elite suppliers all across the world, the bouquet you receive will never be tired. There’s less than 24 hours between the flowers being cut and them being arranged by our skilled florists for display in your home. There's a wide and impressive range of seasonal cuts - the Theia, pictured, is a symphony of bright white flowers put against minty green foliage. They're not cheap - a bouquet can set you back £200 - but they will certainly uplift your living
La Grande Beaute
Offering bespoke arrangements, flowers from Le Grande Beaute don't come cheap - some of their florals can set you back as much. as £300. However, each bouquet from the brand is a surefire showstopper. It's their Christmas shop which is particularly impressive, as well as their 'Christmas in a Box' offering (featuring roses, carnations and berry branches, not to mention candy cane decor) La Grande Beaute offers flowers shaped like traditional festive fare - why not treat yourself to a snowman shaped centre-piece or reindeer-styled pine?
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