Bouquet of Roses

Where Can I Get Flower Delivery in London?

Do you need to sort out something quick for an important birthday? Has a friend or colleague moved into a new house? Or are you just looking to treat a special somebody in your life? Flowers will never go out of fashion and, living in London, you really are spoilt for choice. In fact, with so many options, you may need some help deciding which florist to go to.

The Online Florists

Interflora

For 100 years Mercury, the messenger of the gods, has been the emblem of one of the world’s most recognisable brands:Interflora. Interflora British Unit works by co-ordinating a national network of nearly two thousand florists (132 of them in London) to deliver fresh flowers to customers all over the country – and internationally if required. The specialist agents in each florist are tasked with creating a tailor-made floral arrangement to each customer’s specification ready for delivery. Alternatively, customers are invited to create their own floral designs. Some arrangements are available for same day delivery; providing you meet their deadline of 3.00 pm ordering, your loved one or colleague can expect to receive their gift within three hours.

Interflora are the only company offering the Vera Wang collection, a premium product created by the American wedding fashion designer and former figure skater.

Interflora also offer a ‘Click and Collect’ service, with telephone and online ordering available. The website includes a ‘Flower of the Month’ and various experts’ guides for those of us who want to delve into the process a little more deeply. Prices are mid-range (there’s not much you will find below £25), and with delivery charged extra they are not the cheapest option for buying flowers in London. They do, however, have a presence throughout the city, with florists in the E, EC, N, NW, SE, SW, W and WC postcode areas, so you can be reasonably confident of a reliable service.

Serenata

With an attractive, modern website, in-house florists and amazing prices, London-based Serenata are a worthy alternative to Interflora and offer much the same service, including national and international delivery. With daily deliveries of fresh flowers, Serenata claim they can provide fresher flowers than the local florists. Bouquets are often sent out as buds which gradually bloom over time to release their full beauty. They also offer same day delivery – if you order by 2.30pm – and, for a surcharge, will guarantee delivery by 10.00am or noon. The customer service team are available from 7.00am to 10.00pm and they will deliver on a Sunday for a £4.99 surcharge.

Serenata’s prices are substantially lower than those of Interflora, with some best-sellers retailing for under £20, and standard delivery is free. Presumably they rely on their deluxe and grandissimo upgrade offers to make a profit. The ordering process is made really easy with a three-step process and drop-down menus to select the style of flowers (e.g. silk, retro, vase arrangement, etc.) and recipient (e.g. mum, wife, “a man”). For customers who want to buy locally for ecological reasons or due to personal preference, Serenata offer a UK-grown option. The company have also fully embraced the concept of Customer Relationship Management with transparent reviews and star ratings of all their products, together with social media integration. There are even video features on some of their featured arrangements so you can start sounding like a floral expert when you explain your reasons for choosing the gift.

The Independents

There are, not surprisingly, a wealth of independent florists, including both generalists and those specialising in certain styles or with particular flowers.

Combining an online shop with five London outlets is Mrs Florist. The individual shops are placed in prestigious shopping centres in various areas of London such as Kensington, Hammersmith, Fulham, Notting Hill and Shepherds Bush, and the arrangements are created by a team of skilled floral designers. Flowers arrive daily, from as far afield as Scandinavia and Covent Garden. Prices are on the mid-range to high side with a local delivery charge of £7.95.

Dawsons Flowers, situated in the appropriately-named Bloomsbury area of Camden, is a favourite of the love-struck, with the bloom-rich hand-tied bouquets hand-delivered the same day for orders received before 1.00pm.

For the authentic Scandinavian experience, try Flor Unikon situated in the Clerkenwell area of Islington, famous for its designers. Aside from providing flowers for family and corporate occasions, Flor Unikon (Unikon is Finnish for Poppy) also advise on garden maintenance and run a course where you can learn all about flower arranging the Scandinavian way.

If you live near Marylebone you will never be stuck for a last minute flower emergency again thanks to the 24/7 Flower Station. With same-day delivery offered for orders up to 6.00pm, Flower Station is ideal when you need to apologise to someone in a hurry and the local petrol station bouquets won’t cut it.

McQueens florist, another Clerkenwell store, is worth a browse even if you have no intention of buying anything. Here you will find the types of simple yet elegant flower arrangements that might grace a red carpet event in London. Founded by Kally Ellis in 1991, McQueens regularly attracts attention from all over the world and now includes a school running day classes and long courses in floral design.

A completely different approach to floral design can be seen at Victoria Brotherson’s Scarlet & Violet in Kensal Rise’s Chamberlayne Road, named the ‘hippest street in London’ by Vogue. Victoria’s stunning blooms are offset by their rustic containers – everything from metal buckets and pottery urns to glass bottles.

And if the only bloom that you can imagine presenting to your sweetheart is a rose, then you will find everything you need at Vive Le Rose, centrally placed in the Royal Opera Arcade. There are other flowers on offer, but if you want a creative and attractively presented bouquet incorporating plenty of roses, and including a handwritten message in calligraphic pen, then Vive Le Rose won’t disappoint.