Where as most florists will add a hefty delivery charge to the price of a bouquet of flowers whether you order you flowers online or over the phone. There is one popular UK florist that will deliver for free!

Serenata Flowers is an independent London based florist which has contacts throughout the UK. They currently offer free next day delivery on all their flowers (most florists will charge in the region of £5-£6) and you can order the flowers as late as 8pm the previous day!

If money (saving it that is) is your top priority when sending flowers online within the uk you may want to forget using a ‘florist’ and just check out the ‘flowers by post’ stores. If you are looking for cheap flower delivery ordering flowers online from a flower by post retailer will save you around 50% compared to the equivalent florist flowers.

What’s the difference?

When you order your flowers from a florist they will spend some time conditioning the flowers and arranging them to produce a very professional looking bouquet. The bouquet will be delivered to your desired destination on the day you specify by their courier

When you order from a ‘flowers by post’ retailer the bouquet is assembled and shipped directly from the flower growers by good old fashioned post. The bouquet may look quite as impressive as it does when arranged buy a professional florist, the flowers themselves however will be very fresh when they are shipped. When you order flowers by post they cannot guarantee a delivery date due to them being delivered by the royal mail but you do save a lot of money.

Flying Flowers

Flying Flowers, probably the UKs premier flowers by post store have bouquets for under £10 with free delivery! Where as at Interflora they start at around £25 + £6 delivery. You get far more flowers per £ and if you are happy with the lack of a guaranteed delivery date (you can always have them delivered a day or two early – they can guarantee that). And happy that the bouquet is not arranged buy a trained florist they are a great option for those strapped for cash looking for cheap flower delivery.

I just noticed that Flying Flowers have introduced a courier delivery option on there flowers by post range for an extra £3.50.

Blazing colours, luxuriant foliage and heady scents epitomize the long hazy days of summer.

After the delights of spring, with its delicate displays of bulbs and other early-flowering plants, mixed and herbaceous borders come into their own. Clumps of perennials fill their allotted spaces and colour is more vibrant. It is the time for roses, mock oranges, peonies, bearded irises, old-fashioned pinks, lilies, annuals and bedding plants.

When planning associations for this season, remember that much of the gardening year is still to come, so space must be left for later-flowering plants. Use their mounds of fresh green foliage, with promise of further colour, as a background or foil.

The choice of plants that flower throughout the summer months is overwhelming, tempting us to cram as many different varieties as possible into borders. Resist this, and aim instead for simple partnerships, using several plants of the same species for large and bold effect. The result will be more interesting and restful than one with numerous varieties in different shapes and colours.

It is quite possible to create a grouping with only one flowering variety, the rest of the ‘canvas’ consisting of beautiful foliage. Try planting several corms of the hardy Gladiolus byzantinus, which has magenta flowers (often a colour difficult to place), among the low-growing variegated shrub Euonymous fortunei ‘Silver Queen’. They will increase year after year, and the shrub’s silvery-white variegation sets off the one sided spikes of the gladiolus.

If you can’t resist several flowering varieties together, a pretty, cottage garden effect can be obtained by combining three annuals: baby’s breath (Gypso-phila elegans), love-in-a-mist (Nigella damascena) and larkspur (Delphinium ajacis). Baby’s breath grows to about 45-60cm (lV2-2ft) tall and has grey-green leaves with masses of small white (sometimes pink) flowers online.

The blue or white love-in-a-mist is about the same height so plant it beside the baby’s breath. Larkspur has blue, pink or white flowers and is best placed behind the others because its stately flower spikes can reach 90cm (3ft) high. The result is a delicate, misty combination of soft pastels.

High summer

This colourful group of low-growing plants will be in bloom for several months. Dominated by a yellow potentilla (Potentilla fruticosa) and a pink rock rose (Helianthemum nummularium), the blue Campanula portenschlagiana and red crane’s bill (Geranium sanguineum) attempt to exceed their allotted space.

Backed by the tea-scented hybrid musk rose ‘Buff Beauty’ this long-flowering group creates a pool of soft colours. Tall lavender-blue Campanula lactiflora ‘Pritchard’s Variety’ complement the white, purple-streaked trumpets of Lilium regale, their feet shrouded in an edqinq of pink Geranium endressii and lemon-scented Thymus x citriodorus.

Sun revellers

Annual Zinnia elegans produces dahlia-like blooms in a richly coloured tapestry, ideal for filling gaps in the herbaceous border. Tall spikes of stately blue delphiniums provide a dramatic background for a planting of sneezeweed (Helenium autumnale ‘Bressingham Gold’) whose golden-bronze flowers, suffused with crimson, persist through summer and into autumn.

Autumn

Nostalgia seems to pervade the flowers bought online during the autumn months. Although they are available all the year round, rust and bronze chrysanthemum blooms and sprays epitomize autumn, but many seasonal flowers are associated with the latter end of the year, including dahlias, with their rich colours and varied shapes, Michaelmas daisies, golden rod, and the slightly more exotic criniums, with their delicate pink trumpets.

Cereals, such as wheat and barley, are appropriate for harvest festival designs, and although traditional arrangements remain popular, modern designs lend themselves particularly well to the textures of vegetables, berries and fruits.

Winter

The sense of anticipation is almost tangible during the month of December as online florists work towards one of the busiest times of the year. Flowers associated with winter include the Christmas rose which, although not generally available as a cut flower, can be purchased as a pot plant. This is also true of the poinsettia, which will last much longer if the roots can be retained. Poinsettias are available in pinks and creamy whites as well as scarlet, and combine beautifully with red carnations and carnation sprays.

The early spring flowers can be teamed with some of the flowering winter branches, such as witch hazel or Viburnum x bodnantense.

When buying outdoor seasonal flowers, check for signs of damage from pests or diseases. Insects will also find homes in the centre of dahlias. Daffodils can generally withstand relatively low temperatures, but even they will suffer in bitingly cold winds.

In the world of flowers spring starts earlier than you might think – the first daffodils are available in October, with tulips following on just a few weeks later. Even so, it is still in the true springtime months, from February to April, that the bulk of spring flowers are sold.

With so many flowers now available out of season, it is scarcely surprising that many buying flowers online become confused about the ‘natural’ flower seasons. Observing the flowering times in local gardens is a practical way of overcoming this difficulty.

In addition to the early flowers, core flowers are available in online every day of the year from online florists and flower shops, among which roses and spray chrysanthemums are prime examples, but it is a joy to see and smell the first flowers of the season.

The early daffodils, with their small flower heads and abundance of natural foliage, are always a particular pleasure. Mimosa, with its spicy scent, hyacinths, double tulips, muscari and, later in the season, lilac, violets, and the creamy-green guelder rose, all lend to spring arrangements the infinite variety that makes floristry so interesting.

Caring for spring flowers

When caring for spring flowers, it is useful to remember their natural flowering times. Spring can be a cold time of the year, and most spring flowers – especially the bulb flowers – will last longer if .they are kept in the cool conditions of their natural habitat. Be aware, however, of those bulb flowers that need warmer conditions, such as amaryllis, which should not be refrigerated. Spring flowers need plenty of water, so vases may need regular topping up. Other problems can occur if wrappings are left on for too long, or are too tight.

Tulips, freesias and mimosa are particularly susceptible. Moisture on foliage and petals can lead to spotting, and moulds may thrive. Flowering shrub materials are freely available by the middle of the season. Lilac forsythia, almond and pussy willow are all part of the extensive range of spring flowers. A sharp knife is needed to cut the very hard stems, and hot-water treatment is often necessary to encourage the water uptake.

At Easter, arum lilies begin to appear. These are very popular in church decorations, and their high price makes it well worth while taking special care of them. The stem ends are very fleshy and can curl on the bottom of the bucket, shortening the length of the stem; an elastic band around the stem ends will prevent this. The spathes are very delicate, and care must be taken not to bruise or knock them as they unfurl. Special bulb and shrub flower foods ensure that spring flowers will give you the joys of spring.

Immature flower care

Early in the season, it is important to inspect cut materials carefully, gauging their maturity – flowers that are too immature will not develop properly. Daffodils and irises bought early in the season should be showing colour; later, nearer their natural flowering time, they can be in tight bud.

Sunflowers, snapdragons, larkspur, stocks – some of our loveliest summer flowers are available online for much longer than just the summer months. There’s a profusion of flowers available from early June to late August; varieties have been improved, and many are pre-treated to prevent petal drop. Larkspur was once notorious for pretty confetti and bare stalks. Thanks to research, you can now be sure summer flowers bought online have a long vase life.

The colours available in summer flowers are as profuse as the varieties. Sweet peas come in a range of blues, whites, purples, red and pinks, from the softest shell pink to deepest crimson. The fiery oranges and yellows of the marigolds contrast with the soft cool green of lady’s mantle, and on the hottest of summer days there are plenty of flowers to choose for a refreshing arrangement in blues and white.

The shapes and textures of cut materials are also diverse, including tiny lavender spikes, the large spears of the red hot poker, rounded hydrangea heads, and lilies, with their pointed petals. At this time of year, there is a selection for every type of design, and numerous possible containers from which to choose, always bearing in mind that the latter need to be sufficiently large to hold a good-sized reservoir of water for thirsty summer flowers.

Like all other flowers, summer flowers cannot tolerate direct sunlight for a long period of time, and during summer, the sun’s rays can be harsh, particularly a window. Vases need daily checking, and thirsty cut materials will need regular topping up. Flowers such as dahlias have stems that decay quickly in water, and they will need to be re-cut and have their water changed regularly.

Next day flowers is a really useful service and thankfully nearly all online florists are able to do it. If you need to get flowers to an address urgently tomorrow you can choose almost any florist you like. It does need to be an online florist however as flower retailers who deliver their flowers by post are unable to guarantee next day delivery. Unlike same day flowers delivery costs are a lot lower and in some cases free delivery is available plus the prices of the bouquets themselves are lower too.

Obviously some florists are better than others and depending on the bouquet of flowers  and the time of day there are only a few florists I use for my next day flowers online on a regular basis.

Next Day Flowers Online Order Deadline

When choosing a florist for flowers you need delivered tomorrow you may first want to check the time as as with same day flowers all these online florists have an order deadline time. If it’s before 3 PM most florists will be able to take next day orders after this time however your limited to a smaller number. You can however order as late as midnight with one florist which is of course Interflora.

• 12.00pm (midnight) – Interflora
• 8.00pm – Serenata Flowers
• 4.00pm – Iflorist
• 3.30pm – Flowers Direct
• 3.00pm – Flying Flowers

All these florists I use on a regular basis, I find this service to be very good and the quality of their flowers superb.

Next Day Flowers Delivery Charges

If you need to keep costs down you may want to consider the delivery charges of each florist, as they can vary greatly. Flying Flowers and Serenata Flowers offer free delivery  as standard for the next day flowers online. Here are the delivery charges of my favourite florists (these were correct at the time of writing).

• Flying Flowers – Free
• Serenata Flowers – Free
• Iflorist – £4.90
• Flowers Direct – £4.99
• Interflora – £5.99

What’s The Lowest Price For A Next Day Flowers Bouquet?

This is a question I get asked from time to time and is certainly useful if you’re a bit strapped the cash. The lowest prices – if you included delivery – I see consistently at Serenata Flowers, you can often get a great bouquet of flowers for as little as £19.99 and of course delivered free so check out their offers here.

This service has been a life saver for me in the past. The number of time I have forgotten someone’s birthday or anniversary etc. is embarrassing and its only getting worse as I get older. Thankfully a lot of online flower shops have a same day flowers service and I can have flowers delivered within hours of placing an order on their websites. I can think of no other gift that can be delivered as quickly as a bouquet of flowers.

Same Day Flowers Order Deadline

So which florist do I recommend for this very important task? Well it can depend on a number of factors. Probably the first thing you need to do is look at you watch. If it is after 3pm I’m afraid it’s too late – you will need to order flowers  for tomorrow and apologise to the recipient  for you forgetfulness at some point. I know not of any florists that have a order deadline later than 3pm – if you do pleased let me know in the comments section. Here is a list of the florists I use for same day flowers online and their latest ordering time:

• 3.00pm – Interflora, Flowers Direct & Flying Flowers
• 2.30pm – Serenata Flowers
• 1.00pm – Iflorist

I have found all these florists very reliable and the bouquets the produce to be top notch which is pretty good as they were arranged and delivered in a matter of hours.

Same Day Flowers Delivery Charges

Another factor to consider when choosing the same day flowers florists is delivery cost. You are obviously going to pay more for same day flowers delivery than you are to have them delivered later in the week. Same day flowers delivery costs (correct at the time of writing):

• Interflora – £7.99
• Flowers Direct – £5.99
• Flying Flowers – £6.95 (next day flowers have free delivery)
• Iflorist – £4.90
• Serenata Flowers – £6.99 (next day flowers have free delivery)

All the florists offer similar priced bouquets so if you are not constrained be the same day flowers deadline, which florists you use is down to personal preference though note that Interflora has a bigger choice of bouquets than the others. I have been very happy with the service provided by all the online florists.

Here is something you may not have considered when sending flowers online: should you order flowers from a professional florist or have them delivered by post? Perhaps you are not familiar with the different ways to order your flowers online but depending on which one you choose it can have a great bearing on the condition and look of the flowers received as well as what you will pay for them.

When buying flowers online you can order your flowers from one of two very different types of company:

Florist

On one side you have the traditional professional florists like Interflora, iFlorist and Serenata Flowers. These people know there flowers, they have spent a long time learning the floristry trade, how to arrange and condition flowers. When you order your flowers online from these they will have them prepared at one of there florists or partner florist local to the recipients address and delivered by there own courier on the date of you choosing.

Flowers By Post

On the other side are the flower sellers that deliver their flowers by post. These are companies like ASDA Flowers, M&S, Bunches and Flying Flowers (Flying Flowers have recently added an option to have them florist delivered now). When you order flowers from these the will often have the flowers packaged and shipped straight from the flower growers and delivered by post in a specially designed box. They cannot guarantee delivery on a particular day but can are able to make sure they are delivered before that day as long as they have 3 or so days notice.

The method you choose really depends on your priorities. If you need luxury hand tied flowers that look top notch or you need them to be delivered on a specific date you should definitely go with a professional florist. If you just want the best deal on an bunch of fresh flowers (some time as low as £10) and are not concerned too much about the delivery date, save some money and get you flowers by post.