Letterbox flowers: the best delivery services

The-need-to-know: We asked the Good Housekeeping team which flowers they send as gifts and Bloom & Wild’s slick service came up time and again for its long-lasting, creative arrangements, which can be ordered in two minutes via its app.

The best bits: Recipients praised the arrangement instructions, which were clear and allowed for some creativity. Flowers lasted more than ten days. We also liked that you can customise the card with your own image for free and there is a choice of luxury add-ons running the gamut from Prestat chocolates to Cowshed goodies. 

Take note: Like some others on this list, the flowers are sent by Royal Mail, which isn’t a guaranteed next-day service. The brand says 94% arrive on the chosen day, and all ours did but it is something to consider if the date is non-negotiable. 

Key info
No. of options: 17
Price range: £22-£45
Delivery options: Royal Mail Tracked (94% delivered next-day)

The-need-to-know: Zing offers an attractive selection of reasonably-priced seasonal bouquets with guaranteed next-day arrival There were four bouquets under £25 when we ordered and all but one were under £30 including delivery. 

The best bits: As well as the price, we were impressed with the varied bouquets on offer, which included the likes of lilies and snapdragons. Our tester liked the presentation of the box on delivery, which was tied with a yellow ribbon and came with a packet of Love Hearts sweets. Take note: The delivery charge is more than most on the list and the company doesn’t offer Sunday delivery. 

Key info
No. of options: 10
Price range: £16-£29.98 plus delivery
Delivery options: Next-day delivery £4, Saturday £8.99

The-need-to-know: All of Marks’ letterbox options are available for free Sunday delivery so it was a no-brainer that it topped this category. And with more than half coming in at £25 or under, it was also a close-run contest between M&S and Zing for the best-value accolade.

The best bits: The ordering process is very slick, particularly if you use M&S’s app. Our tester was very impressed with how long-lasting the flowers were, reporting that they looked good for more than 10 days, with just a few curled petals to remove to keep them looking spritely. 

Take note: The selection is small compared to competitors: five at the time of ordering, but those they have are attractive. Our recipient’s flowers were left on the doorstep, despite fitting through the letterbox.  

Key info
No. of options: 5
Price range: £22-£30
Delivery options: Free next-day or nominated day delivery, some Sunday options

The-need-to-know: Okay, we know ‘rainbow’ flowers – that’s when petals are dyed multiple colours – won’t be everyone, but if you are looking for something a bit different, try Funky Pigeon. The brand best known for its personalised cards, also has a ‘unicorn’ selection in the range (carnations in pretty pastel colors). 

The best bits: Our tester was impressed that her flowers lasted two weeks and as such, felt  they were good value for the money. 

Take note: There were no arrangement instructions with the flowers. For the person gifting, delivery is more expensive than most: £4 on bouquets under £30, but it is guaranteed on your chosen day (unlike those sent by Royal Mail). 

Key info
No. of options: 12
rice range: £19.99 – £35.99 + delivery
Delivery options: £4 guaranteed next-day delivery (including Sunday) for boxes under £30 (6/7 when we ordered)

The-need-to-know: Bloom & Wild were the only letterbox company that offered a same-day service. It’s available in central London (zones 1 and 2 and some zone 3 when we looked).  

The best bits: Our flowers arrived within the four-hour time slot, which you can choose and were the same standard as the main range.

Take note: As mentioned, the service is so far only available in the capital and as you’d expect, the price is higher than the next-day option (ours was £11 more), and there are far fewer to choose from – three when we ordered. 

Key info
No. of options: 3
Price range: £37-£39
Delivery options: Four-hour time slot, which you can choose at the time of ordering. 

The-need-to-know: Appleyard impressed us with its plastic-free packaging made from fully-recyclable paper and cardboard. The brand is working to ensure packaging produces as little waste as possible – and only uses sustainably-sourced blooms from Fairtrade farms in its bouquets.

The best bits: First impressions were good – testers liked the smart white packaging with its floral illustrations and that the flowers were tied with a bow. Despite a lack of instructions, it was easy enough to copy the picture online and the flowers closely resembled the image when arranged. The ordering process was quick and easy and the box arrived promptly the next morning.

Take note: One tester said the box was too large for her non-traditional letterbox, so that’s something to bear in mind.

Key info
No. of options: 7
Price range: £29.99 – £31.99
Delivery options: Free untracked next-day delivery when you order before 3:30pm, with two tracked options for an extra fee

The-need-to-know: This is a luxury option with higher prices to match, but next-day delivery is free and our recipient loved the high quality flowers that arrived. Plus, we bagged a 10% discount with the code SAVE10. The nine bouquets on offer are diverse and very pretty – several feature luxurious lilies and we spotted one with Snapdragons, which we thought was unusual for a letterbox option. 

The best bits: After arriving promptly, the flowers closely resembled the website’s picture, the recipient had no trouble with assembly and they lasted a full seven days. Each bud was packaged individually, creating a sense that real care had been taken with the order. The website had beautiful, clear imagery and the purchasing process was fast and intuitive. As a bonus, this brand offers a free card with every order – and had the best selection of all those we tried. 

Take note: While our tester liked how well-packaged these flowers were, they did come wrapped in plastic, so might not be the best option for your more environmentally-conscious friends. 

Key info
No. of options: 9
Price range: £26.99 – £31.99
Delivery options: Free next-day delivery 

The-need-to-know: Waitrose’s £28 option offers a generous 20 stems, which is impressive for the price. The bouquets available change regularly depending on the season and are cheaper than some of the others on this list. Next-day delivery is always free – even on Sundays. 

The best bits: Flowers arrived promptly the next morning and our recipient loved her “beautiful” bunch. They had begun to wilt by the time she got to the box at the end of the day, but perked back up with a drink of water, ultimately lasting a good week.

Take note: There’s only four letterbox bouquets on offer, which may be a problem if you like a big selection to peruse (but, really, they’re all lovely). 

Key info
No. of options: 4
Price range: £22-£28
Delivery options: Free next-day delivery, including Sundays