Flowers for Her

The right flowers for her depend less on the flower than on her: the colours she wears, the occasion, and whether the bouquet should whisper or make an entrance. Below, our florists at the studio in Southwark (SE1) walk through what to send for a birthday, an anniversary, a thank-you or just because, and how to pick a bouquet she will actually love.

Most people searching for flowers for her are not short of choice. They are short of a way to choose. So instead of a list of everything we make, here is how we think about it when someone rings the studio and says, "It's for her, I want it to be right."

What flowers should I send her?

Start with three questions, in this order.

• What colours does she live in? Look at her clothes, her home, her phone case. Someone who wears cream, camel and grey will usually love a soft, blush or ivory bouquet more than a bright one. Someone who wears colour will find a pale bouquet a little polite.
• What is the moment? A birthday can be cheerful and generous. An anniversary is the time for roses or something with real weight. A thank-you or "thinking of you" works best smaller and lighter, so it feels like a gesture rather than a statement.
• Where will it live? A big bouquet is wonderful in a flat with space and a large vase. For a desk, a hotel room or a small kitchen, a compact posy or a box arrangement that needs no vase is kinder.

If you know only one thing about her taste, let it be colour. It matters more than the flower variety.

Romantic flowers for her: roses and beyond

Red roses are still the clearest way to say "I love you", and there is nothing old-fashioned about doing it well. A dozen is the classic romantic gesture: our English classic romance is twelve red roses with gypsophila, simple and unmistakable. For a milestone, a larger armful says more: the luxury bouquet of 50 red roses is the one people order for a proposal or a big anniversary. If you are wondering what different numbers of roses mean, we have a separate guide on how many roses to give and what each number says.

Romantic does not have to mean red. Many women prefer the softer side of the rose family: spray roses and peony-shaped roses in blush, beige and powder pink. Petals for her, 35 stems of beige peony spray roses, was designed for exactly this, and the smaller Powdered rose gives the same feeling in a more modest size. You will find the whole range on our roses page.

Birthday flowers for her

A birthday bouquet should feel like a celebration, so this is the place for colour, mixed textures and a little abundance. A few of the bouquets our customers choose most often for a birthday:

• Pink manifesto: roses and spray roses in several shades of pink, generous and happy.
• Peach garden posy: spray roses, peony roses and lisianthus in warm peach, a lovely choice for someone who wears earthy, warm colours.
• Belgravia petite rosettes: a neat, elegant bouquet that suits a smaller space or a work desk.

Adding a balloon is popular for a birthday at home, less so for an office. See the full birthday flowers collection, and if you would like to tie the bouquet to her birth month, our guide to birth flowers by month explains which flower belongs to each one.

Anniversary flowers for her

For an anniversary, think about the story rather than the trend. If roses have always been "your" flower, send roses again, perhaps more of them each year. If the anniversary is a big round number, a large hand-tied bouquet or a basket of roses and hydrangeas makes the day feel marked. Our Cloud bloom, with hydrangeas, peony roses and eustoma, is a romantic choice for someone who finds red roses too obvious. Browse the anniversary flowers collection for more.

Just because, thank you and get well soon

The flowers people remember most are often the ones that arrived for no reason at all. For these moments, smaller is better: the point is the thought, not the size. A compact bouquet such as Blush harmony is the kind of thing that turns an ordinary Tuesday into a nice one. For a thank-you, see our thank you flowers; for someone who is unwell or recovering, the get well flowers are chosen to be cheerful and easy to look after.

Which colour flowers should I choose for her?

• Red: love and passion. Perfect from a partner, a little intense from anyone else.
• Pink: affection, gratitude and admiration. The safest and most versatile colour, right for a partner, a mum, a sister or a friend. See our pink flowers.
• White and ivory: elegance and calm. Lovely for someone with a minimalist home, and the usual choice for sympathy.
• Peach and coral: warmth and friendship, with a modern feel.
• Yellow: joy and friendship. Great for a birthday or a congratulations, rarely the romantic choice.

Is a flower box or a vase better than a bouquet?

A hand-tied bouquet is the classic and gives her the pleasure of arranging it, but it needs a vase. If you are not sure she has one, or the flowers are going to an office or a hotel, choose a box or a ready arrangement. Our pink rose bouquet in a metallic box arrives ready to put on a table, and you will find more on the flower boxes and flowers in a vase pages.

What should I write on the card?

Short and personal beats long and poetic. One honest sentence and your name is enough. A few starting points:

• Romantic: "Still you. Always you." or "Happy anniversary. Here's to the next one."
• Birthday: "Happy birthday to my favourite person. Have the loveliest day."
• Just because: "No reason. Just thinking of you."
• Thank you: "Thank you for everything this year. I couldn't have done it without you."

The card message has its own field at checkout. You can tick "This is a gift" so the price is hidden from her, and "Send anonymously" if you would like her to guess who it is from.

Can I get flowers delivered to her today?

Yes, in London. We deliver same-day across London seven days a week, weekends and bank holidays included, on orders placed by 10 pm. Most same-day orders arrive within a few hours, although no exact time is guaranteed for same-day; if the timing matters, choose a delivery window for a future date at checkout. Outside London, we deliver to the rest of the UK in 2–3 working days. To help the flowers last, follow our flower care tips: fresh water, a clean vase and stems trimmed at an angle.

What if I don't know what she likes at all?

Then choose soft pink or blush, medium size, roses or a mix with roses in it. It is the combination we see fail least often. And if you would rather let her choose, a Floritta gift card is sent by email, valid for 12 months, and lets her pick her own bouquet and delivery date.