What to Ask Your Florist Before Ordering Flowers
Updated: Oct 28
Ordering flowers should feel fun, not like you’re guessing your way through a menu you’ve never seen before. A good florist can help you choose blooms that look beautiful, suit the occasion, and arrive in great shape. The trick is knowing what to ask before you place the order.
A few clear questions can save you from surprises with colour, size, price, timing, or care. They also help your florist understand what you actually want, especially if you have a specific feeling in mind, like soft and romantic, bright and cheerful, or simple and elegant.
Ask What Flowers are Available Right Now
Before you fall in love with a specific flower, ask if it’s available. Some blooms are easy to find most of the year, while others are tied to certain seasons or may need to be ordered in advance.
Good questions include:
What flowers are currently is season?
Can you get a specific flower for my arrangement at this time of the year?
Can I get this specific flower even if it isn't in season?
Are there similar flowers if my first choice isn’t available?
How much notice do you need for special requests?
This matters because flowers are living products. Weather, supply, holidays, and shipping can all affect what your florist can get. Peonies, for example, are often seasonal. Certain orchids or specialty roses may need extra time. If you’re flexible, your florist can usually suggest something with a similar look, colour, or mood. Some of our local farms do supply flowers that are not in season, although, they are at higher price.
This is also a great time to ask about seasonal selections. Seasonal flowers are often fresher, easier to source, and better suited to the time of year. In Canada, that might mean tulips and daffodils in spring, sunflowers in late summer, or evergreens and amaryllis around the holidays.
A simple question like, “What looks best this week?” can lead to a much nicer arrangement than choosing from a fixed idea.
Talk Through Your Budget Before Choosing the Design
Price can vary a lot depending on the flowers, size, container, add-ons, delivery distance, and design time. Don’t feel awkward bringing up your budget. Florists work with budgets all the time, and being upfront helps them guide you well.
Ask:
What can you create within my budget?
Does the price include the vase or container?
Are there extra charges for delivery, setup, or special packaging?
Do premium flowers cost more?
Is tax included in the quoted price?
If you’re ordering a custom arrangement, florist pricing can feel a bit different from buying a ready-made bouquet. A custom arrangement may include design labour, special sourcing, or a specific container. That doesn’t mean it has to be expensive, but it does mean the final price should be clear before you confirm.
It helps to share a price range rather than asking for “something nice.” For example, “I’d like to stay around $75 before delivery” gives your florist something useful to work with.
If your budget is firm, say so. A skilled florist can often adjust the design by using seasonal stems, more greenery, or a different vase while still keeping the arrangement full and thoughtful.
Confirm Delivery Details Early
Delivery can make or break the experience, especially for birthdays, sympathy flowers, events, or same-day surprises. Before placing your order, get clear on how delivery works.
Think of these questions:
Do you deliver to this address?
What are your delivery fees?
Can you deliver on a specific date or within a time window?
What happens if no one is home?
Do you offer same-day delivery?
Can you deliver to hospitals, funeral homes, offices, or condo buildings?
Some locations have special rules. Hospitals may restrict certain flowers or require a room number. Funeral homes may have cutoff times. Condo buildings may need buzzer details. Offices may close earlier than expected.
If the delivery is a surprise, give your florist every detail you can. Include the recipient’s phone number if appropriate, the full address, unit number, buzzer code, and any helpful notes like “leave with concierge” or “call before arrival.” Clear delivery details help flowers arrive on time and in good condition.
Be Clear About Customization Choices
If you want something specific, say it. Florists aren’t mind readers, and your version of “modern” or “romantic” might be different from someone else’s.
Talk about:
Favourite colours
Flowers you love
Flowers you dislike
The occasion
The recipient’s style
Vase preference
Fragrance sensitivity
Pet-safe concerns
Overall mood
You can also ask, “How much can I customize this arrangement?” Some florists offer fully custom designs, while others work from signature styles with small changes.
Photos can help, but use them as guidance rather than a strict recipe. Flowers vary by season and availability, so an exact copy may not be possible. Instead, explain what you like about the photo. Is it the colour palette? The loose shape? The garden feel? The mix of textures?
Clear preferences lead to better results. Instead of saying, “Make it pretty,” try, “I’d love something soft and airy with blush, cream, and greenery. Nothing too tall, and no lilies because the scent is too strong.”
That kind of detail gives your florist room to be creative while still staying close to what you want.
Ask How to Care for the Flowers After They Arrive
Once the flowers are delivered or picked up, care makes a real difference. Even the nicest arrangement won’t last as long if it sits in direct sun or old water.
Ask your florist:
How often should I change the water?
Should I trim the stems?
Where should I place the arrangement?
Are any flowers more delicate than others?
Should I remove fading blooms?
Is flower food included, and how should I use it?
Most cut flowers do best in clean water, away from direct heat, bright sun, and ripening fruit. If the arrangement comes in floral foam, ask how to keep it hydrated. If it’s a hand-tied bouquet, ask whether to keep the tie in place when placing it in a vase.
Care instructions matter even more for delicate flowers, warm weather deliveries, and arrangements meant to last through an event. A quick care chat can add days of enjoyment.
We also have a link to our blog below that you can read that can help you with general care for your fresh flowers!
Share the Occasion and the Feeling You Want
One of the best questions for florists is, “What would you recommend for this occasion?” Florists know which flowers feel joyful, soothing, elegant, playful, or understated. They can guide you toward choices that match the moment.
For sympathy flowers, you might want something calm and gentle. For a birthday, bright colours may feel more festive. For a thank-you gift, a compact vase arrangement might be easier for the recipient to enjoy right away.
Be honest about the tone. If the arrangement should feel cheerful but not over the top, say that. If it’s for someone who loves wild, natural designs, mention it. If the recipient prefers simple white flowers, that’s useful too.
The more context you give, the better your florist can choose flowers that feel personal instead of generic.
We have many articles that can help you choose on our blog page.
From cultural significance to meanings of colour!
Feel free to check them out as they may inspire you!
A Quick Checklist Before You Order
Before you confirm the order, make sure you know:
What flowers or colours will be used
Whether substitutions are possible
The total price, including delivery and tax
The delivery date and details
What’s included, such as a vase, card, or wrapping
How custom the design will be
Basic care instructions
You don’t need to ask every question on this list every time. For a simple bouquet, a few key details may be enough. For weddings, sympathy arrangements, holidays, or custom gifts, it’s worth slowing down and getting everything clear.
The best flower orders happen when you and your florist are on the same page. Share your budget, your preferences, and the reason for the flowers. Ask what’s fresh, what’s seasonal, and what will work best. You’ll end up with an arrangement that feels thoughtful, beautiful, and much closer to what you had in mind.
Disclaimer!
We highly advise that you read our "About" and "FAQ" page for any clarification of our services and conditions as a small business. Placing custom orders, going through the payment as well as ordering any items on our website and in-person store confirms that you have read all our service disclaimers, policies, terms and conditions. We are not responsible for additional accommodations to your order if it does not comply with our policies.
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ai jingle maker What a practical guide! I especially agree about asking what's in season first. I learned that lesson after requesting blooms that weren't available and ending up with substitutions I didn't love. The delivery questions are so helpful too; confirming the time window and backup plan makes all the difference. Thanks for putting this checklist together!