Buying a bouquet is a task that makes many men a little nervous: what to choose, how many stems, which colour, how to hand it over without feeling awkward. We have gathered all our advice for men in one guide — from choosing flowers for Mum, a wife or a colleague to checking freshness, staying on budget and what to write on the card. Read it once and next time you will walk into a flower shop with confidence.
The florist will put a bouquet together faster if you know the answers
Why give flowers
Flowers are the easiest way to say what men often find hard to put into words: “I’m thinking of you”, “thank you”, “sorry”, “I’m proud of you”. Psychologists’ research shows that a bouquet brings a genuine smile to almost every recipient and lifts their mood for days.
The first question before buying is who the flowers are for. Mum will love soft pastel bouquets and boxed flowers, a wife or girlfriend roses or peonies in her favourite colour, a colleague a restrained mono-bouquet, and a boss a solid arrangement with no romantic hints.
In Ukraine fresh flowers are given in odd numbers; even numbers are for funerals. Red means love, white tenderness and sincerity, yellow joy, pink affection and gratitude. If in doubt, choose pastel shades — they are almost always appropriate.
In a flower shop, just answer the florist’s four questions: who the bouquet is for, the occasion, your budget and the colours the person likes. The florist will suggest two or three options — ask to see the flowers up close and check freshness: firm buds, springy leaves, a solid cut.
Before Valentine’s Day, Women’s Day and Mother’s Day, order a few days ahead: florists work at full capacity on these dates and the best flowers go first. Delivery is a convenient way to surprise someone, even from another city or abroad.
Hold the bouquet blooms up and hand it over with your right hand while looking the person in the eye. Don’t hide the flowers behind your back or hand them over in silence: two sincere sentences are enough. Remove any clear transport sleeve beforehand, but keep the decorative wrapping — it is part of the arrangement.
1. Decide who it is for and the occasion. 2. Recall the person’s favourite colour or flower (check their social media). 3. Tell the florist your budget straight away to save time. 4. Choose an odd number of stems and seasonal flowers. 5. Check freshness. 6. Add a card with a few words of your own. 7. Think about transport: dense wrapping in winter, no long car ride in the sun in summer.
After the occasion: making it last
A good bouquet lasts a week or more if you change the water and trim the stems daily. And if you want a real “wow”, think about a big bouquet, a proposal with flowers or meeting your loved one with flowers after a long separation.
These flowers are just for you, No reason needed, it is true, May your smile, like morning sun, Warm my heart when day is done!
Bouquets you can’t go wrong with
If you have no time to choose, go for the classics: red roses for your partner, a soft pastel bouquet for Mum, a restrained mono-bouquet for a colleague. We will deliver the flowers and add a card with your message.
Graduated from Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv, Institute of Biology and Medicine (2001). BSc in Biology, MSc in Horticulture. Writes about plants, works at a garden centre selecting and repotting plants, and contributes to plant reference guides.
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