Frequently Asked Questions
Answers to the questions customers most often ask about ordering flower delivery to Germany from abroad with GermanFlorist.
Ordering flowers for Germany
How do I send flowers to Germany from abroad?
Choose an arrangement on GermanFlorist, pick a size, enter the recipient's German address and phone number, write your card message and pay online. It works the same from the US, the UK, elsewhere in Europe, Asia or Australia, at any hour. German addresses need the street and house number, the five-digit postcode and the town. Apartments rarely have numbers, so add the surname shown on the doorbell and, if you know it, the floor or whether the flat is in the rear building. A local florist then prepares the flowers by hand and delivers them to the door.
Which cities in Germany do you deliver to?
We deliver to every town in Germany, from the largest cities to small villages. That includes Berlin, Hamburg, Munich, Cologne, Frankfurt, Stuttgart, Düsseldorf and Leipzig, along with the Ruhr area, the Baltic and North Sea coasts, Bavaria and the eastern states. Each order is passed to a florist near the recipient, so the flowers travel a short distance and arrive fresh. If you are unsure whether a very rural address or a North Sea island can be reached on your chosen day, send us the postcode through the contact form before ordering.
Can you deliver to hospitals, offices and hotels in Germany?
Yes, florists deliver to workplaces, hotels, care homes and most hospitals as well as private homes. For a hospital, give the patient's full name, the clinic or ward and, if possible, the room number. Some intensive care and specialist wards do not accept flowers, in which case the florist contacts the recipient or us. For offices, add the company name and department so reception can pass the bouquet on. For hotels, use the name the booking was made under. A phone number for the recipient is always required.
What happens if the recipient is not at home?
The florist will try to reach the recipient by phone, which is why a phone number is required with every order. If nobody is available, the flowers may be left with a neighbour, a reception desk or a concierge, which is common practice in Germany, or the florist arranges a new delivery attempt. Deliveries take place during the day. You can write a preferred time window in the delivery instructions and the florist will try to meet it, but exact times cannot be guaranteed.
Delivery times and dates
Do you offer same-day flower delivery in Germany?
No, same-day delivery is not available in Germany. We offer next-day delivery nationwide from Monday to Saturday: place your order before midnight German time and the flowers are delivered the following delivery day. Keep the time difference in mind if you are ordering from North America, Asia or Australia. Germany uses Central European Time, so an evening order from New York may already fall after midnight in Berlin and would then be delivered one day later.
Do you deliver on Sundays and public holidays in Germany?
No. There are no deliveries on Sundays or on the main national public holidays, such as New Year's Day, Good Friday, Easter Monday, 1 May, the Day of German Unity on 3 October and the Christmas holidays. The date picker at checkout blocks these days automatically, so you can only select a valid date. For an occasion that falls on a Sunday or a holiday, choose the last delivery day before it. Flowers delivered on Saturday will be at their best on Sunday.
How far in advance can I schedule a delivery?
You can schedule a delivery up to about three months ahead. Simply choose the date you want in the calendar when ordering. Booking early is a good idea for Valentine's Day, Mother's Day and the weeks before Christmas, when German florists are at their busiest. If your plans change, the date, address or card message can be amended free of charge up to 24 hours before the delivery date.
Flowers, sizes and add-ons
What is the difference between Regular, Upgraded and Deluxe?
The three sizes differ in the amount of flowers. Upgraded contains about 30% more flowers than Regular, and Deluxe about 60% more. The product photo on the site shows the Upgraded version, so choose that size if you want the bouquet to look like the picture. Most arrangements are offered in all three sizes, and each is made by hand by a local florist in Germany in the same style and colour scheme. Only the number of stems and the overall fullness change.
Will the bouquet look exactly like the photo?
It will match the photo in colours, style and value, but individual stems can differ. Each bouquet is made to order by a local florist, and if a particular flower is out of season or unavailable locally, the florist may replace it with flowers of equal or higher value in the same colours and style. Remember too that the photo shows the Upgraded size. If the arrangement arrives damaged or clearly different from what you ordered, contact us within 24 hours with a photo.
Can I add chocolates, a vase or wine to my flowers?
Yes. You can add a box of chocolates, a glass vase, a plush teddy bear, a greeting card, balloons or a bottle of wine to your flowers. Add-ons are selected before checkout and are delivered together with the bouquet. A vase is a thoughtful extra for hospital patients, students and anyone who has just moved. Every order also includes a free printed card message, so you do not need to buy a greeting card just to send a few words. Sign the message with your name so the recipient knows who it is from.
Do you sell cakes or gift hampers for delivery in Germany?
No, we do not sell cakes, food hampers, fruit baskets or other gifts. GermanFlorist concentrates on fresh flowers prepared by local florists, with a small set of add-ons: chocolates, a glass vase, a teddy bear, a greeting card, balloons and wine. If you would like to mark a birthday, a combination of flowers, chocolates and balloons is the closest alternative and arrives in a single delivery.
Payment and your order
What currency are prices in, and how much is delivery?
All prices are charged in US dollars, and delivery costs a flat USD 14.95 per order anywhere in Germany, with no other surcharges. For convenience the site can also show approximate prices in euros and British pounds, but these are reference figures. The amount billed is the USD total shown at checkout, and your bank or card provider converts it if your account is in another currency.
Which payment methods do you accept?
You can pay with an international credit or debit card (Visa, Mastercard or American Express) or with PayPal. Card payments are processed through Stripe, and the checkout is secure and encrypted. Cards issued outside Germany are welcome, which makes it easy to order whether you live in the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, China or elsewhere.
Will I receive an order confirmation?
Yes. Right after you complete the order you receive an email confirmation with your order number. Check that the address, date and card message are correct. If the email does not seem to arrive, look in your spam folder, then write to us through the contact form at /page/contact. Quote the order number in any message so we can find your order quickly.
Can I change or cancel my order?
Yes, changes and cancellations are free up to 24 hours before the delivery date. Use the contact form at /page/contact and include your order number. Inside the final 24 hours the florist may already have bought the flowers and started work, so we handle requests on a best-effort basis and cannot promise that a change will still be possible. We usually reply within a few hours.
What if the flowers arrive damaged or are not what I ordered?
Contact us within 24 hours through the contact form at /page/contact, attach a photo and mention your order number. If the flowers arrived damaged or are clearly different from what you ordered, we arrange a replacement or a refund. A photo is important because it lets us take the matter up with the florist straight away. Small differences in individual stems are normal, since florists work with what is fresh and in season locally.
Who is behind GermanFlorist?
GermanFlorist (germanflorist.com) is operated by Flowers Worldwide LLC, a company registered in the United States. It belongs to the same family as abcFlora.com, which offers worldwide flower delivery, and FlowersCloud.com. Orders for Germany are prepared and delivered by local florists in the recipient's area, while our team handles the website, payment and customer support in English. You can write to us at any time through the contact form at /page/contact.
Occasions and etiquette in Germany
When is Mother's Day in Germany?
Mother's Day in Germany, called Muttertag, is celebrated on the second Sunday of May, the same date as in the United States, Canada and Australia and not the same as Mothering Sunday in the UK. Because we do not deliver on Sundays, choose the Saturday before as the delivery date. It is one of the busiest weekends of the year for German florists, so order several days ahead. Father's Day is different too: it falls on Ascension Day, a Thursday public holiday in May or early June.
On which occasions do Germans give flowers?
Birthdays come first. Germans take them seriously, and greetings should arrive on the day itself, never before, since early wishes are considered bad luck. Valentine's Day on 14 February is popular for red roses. Flowers are also the standard gift when you are invited to someone's home, and they are sent for weddings, births, school leaving exams, anniversaries, Easter and during Advent, when poinsettias and amaryllis appear everywhere. In Berlin, International Women's Day on 8 March is a public holiday.
Which flowers are appropriate in Germany, and which should I avoid?
Red roses are understood as a declaration of love, so keep them for a partner. White lilies and chrysanthemums are closely associated with funerals and graves, and many Germans would find them odd as a birthday gift. Traditional etiquette favours an odd number of stems, though not thirteen, and for larger bouquets nobody counts. Safe choices for friends, hosts and colleagues are mixed seasonal bouquets with tulips, gerberas, sunflowers or pastel roses. Germans appreciate flowers that look natural and well made more than anything showy.
Can I send sympathy or funeral flowers in Germany?
Yes. For a bereavement you can send a sympathy bouquet in white, cream or soft pastel colours to the family's home with a short message of condolence. Check the death notice first, because German families sometimes ask for donations instead of flowers. Funerals are usually arranged through an undertaker and often take place at a cemetery chapel, so if you want flowers delivered there, give the exact cemetery, the name of the deceased and the date and time of the service, and order as early as you can. Sundays are excluded.
Which flowers are in season in Germany through the year?
Germany has four distinct seasons, and florists follow them. Spring brings tulips, daffodils, hyacinths and ranunculus, with peonies and lily of the valley in May. Summer is the time for roses, sunflowers, delphiniums and garden-style bouquets, autumn for dahlias, chrysanthemums and warm colours. In winter, amaryllis, poinsettias and arrangements with fir are typical. If a stem in your chosen design is not available locally, the florist substitutes one of equal or higher value in the same colours. In frost or summer heat, a phone number helps avoid flowers waiting outdoors.