The best Mother's Day flower delivery services to shop this year
Mother's Day is a time to celebrate all the women in your life who offer guidance, support and endless care. Whether they are a mother in the traditional sense or a mother figure, this time of year is perfect for showing that their love doesn't go unnoticed. Finding the perfect gift can be a little troublesome, but it doesn't have to be! As the day is quickly approaching, we've been doing our best to find gift ideas that are slightly outside of the box, but we'd be foolish to ignore the most obvious choice: flowers! Flowers may seem cliche but they can also be incredibly thoughtful, not to mention convenient, especially if you won't get to celebrate in person.
There are quite a few options for Mother's Day flower delivery services so we're sharing our favorite choices, plus ways to pick which one is best for you and your gifting needs. Have a look at our favorite Mother's Day flower delivery services below.
How do I order flowers for delivery online?
Visiting the websites of reputable flower delivery services will give you tons of options to browse their selection of bouquets or arrangements. You'll want to be sure delivery is available to the zip code you desire. Once you've selected your arrangement, you can add it to your cart and begin the checkout process, similar to online shopping. Each delivery service has different functionality but we took that into account during our selection process. You'll see our top pick below.
How much does flower delivery cost?
Prices will vary greatly based on the size of the arrangement or bouquet, the speed of delivery and any additional fees that may be applied based on the location of the delivery. Standard fees can be a bit steep, ranging from $10-$20, but same-day or expedited delivery will likely incur even higher charges.
Can I schedule a specific delivery date for flowers? Are same-day delivery options available?
Yes, most services will allow you to schedule a specific delivery date at the time the order is placed. There may be limitations to how far in advance you can select a date, however. On the flip side, most services also allow for same-day delivery, but there are limitations based on the time of day the order is placed, with specified cutoff times. It will almost certainly be subject to additional fees, which can be hefty.
What are the best types of flowers for Mother's Day?
Your mom's favorite flower is always a smart pick, but if you're looking to choose something seasonally appropriate or particularly fragrant, florist Fonda Sara shared her thoughts with our best-list research team. She shares:
Traditional: "Lilacs and peonies are everyone’s [Mother's Day] favorite," Sara said. Likely because this is their season.
Modern: "All of the same flower, monochromatic, architectural...ranunculus, tulips, calla lilies, anthurium, tropicals."
In-season: "Peonies, lilac, hellebores, ranunculus, anemones, tulips."
Longest-lasting: "Chinch, anthurium, ranunculus, thistle and scabiosa [pincushion]."
For color: "Ranunculus, roses, anemones, anthurium, tulips."
For fragrance: "Freesia, hyacinth, garden roses, lilac, stock, acacia."
How can I make sure the flower delivery arrives fresh and undamaged?
The best option is to choose a reputable and reliable flower delivery service. We take into account user reviews, personal experience, and reputation in our selections below, but you'll want to check reliability with whichever service you choose.
Fonda shared a few tips on the best ways to keep them looking and smelling fresh. "Flowers delivered loose need to be re-hydrated properly in order to get the full value of their lifespan. Change the water often and re-cut the stems every two days."
Most of our delivery services include care instructions such as these:
Cut stems about an inch from the bottom at a 45-degree angle.
Fill with water and add food, if included.
Place out of direct sun.
Avoid extreme temps.
Pluck dead bits out daily.
What are the best flower delivery services near me?
These can vary based on location but some of the most notable options are UrbanStems, FTD, 1-800-Flowers, ProFlowers, Teleflora, and BloomNation.
What should I do if I'm not satisfied with my flower delivery?
The best course of action would be to contact the flower delivery service's customer support team as soon as the flowers arrive and you are unsatisfied. It's also recommended to take photos of the flowers if they come damaged. The service may offer a refund, replacement or different solution depending on the circumstances.
How to choose the best type of bouquet for delivery?
"So much of what is offered online is cookie-cutter, formulaic and uninspired. Choose arrangements that look like they were created by someone who loves flowers," Sara advised. And you'll need to think about the logistics too: "The structure of a bouquet determines how safely it will arrive," she said. "Wild, loose, leggy arrangements may be dramatic in place, but how will they look after being transported?"
How we chose the top flower delivery services
Our research team ordered from 10 popular services and considered the following factors from ordering through delivery and enjoying the bouquets:
Beauty and wow factor
Health and longevity
Customer service and site usability
Speed of service
Value for your money
Best Overall Flower Delivery Service for Mother's Day: UrbanStems
Pros: Fresh flowers; wide variety of arrangements; exciting vessels; flower subscriptions available; same-day delivery in NYC and D.C.; Sunday, May 14 delivery.
Cons: None.
The packaging was A+ and the flowers were stunning, which was reason alone for them to be our top pick, but specific to Mother's Day, UrbanStems will actually deliver on the Sunday that is Mother's Day. Most of the services we tried will not deliver on Sundays.
Best Fast Delivery: 1-800-Flowers
Pros: Fast, reliable service; healthy flowers; loads of add-ons; Sunday, May 14 delivery for certain bouquets, simple instructions and easy-release protective packaging for fast arrangement
Cons: Logo overkill; many cheesy choices.
While this came within 21 hours of placing the order, it was not as appealing in the box when it arrived. Other options had far more charming presentations which would appear like a more thoughtful gift. This is definitely the perfect option for any last-minute shopping that needs to be done.
Best Subscription Option: BloomsyBox
Pros: Sustainable business model; flower subscriptions available.
Cons: No option to add a vase; no weekend delivery.
BloomsyBox is a one-stop-shop, handling the planting of the flowers straight through to delivery and it's notably done with great care. They are our top pick for the best subscription option because they prefer to pick and create bouquets with what inventory is best and available, so you'll be sure to get the very best bouquet each month as hands-off as possible.
Best Plant Delivery: The Sill
Pros: Healthy flowering plants; carefully packaged; pet-conscious, nice pots; clear, helpful website; orchid and other plant subscriptions available.
Cons: Longer delivery window; care instructions online only
Many people argue that floral bouquets don't last very long. Plants are another grand option because they can last for many Mother's Days ahead. Wait times are typically 2 to 6 days, which might worry anyone with a green thumb, but the orchid our team ordered was so cleverly packaged that it remained in perfect shape despite a bumpy delivery.
Best Presentation: Farmgirl Flowers
Pros: Fresh, beautiful, seasonal flowers; artful arrangements; eco-conscious; flower subscriptions available.
Cons: Somewhat limited selection.
This Farmgirl Flowers arrangement really wowed us right out of the box, pun intended. We were really impressed by the arrangement as soon as we opened the box and the ceramic vase was also one we'd be happy to use again and again.
Best Seasonal Pick: Fresh Sends
Pros: Fresh, beautiful, seasonal flowers; fast delivery; fun branding; charming delivery, wrapped in "newspaper"; flower subscriptions available.
Cons: Limited selection.
If a bouquet of flowers could have personality, Fresh Sends would certainly win the prize. The flowers were super fresh, expertly arranged, and wrapped in an adorable "newspaper" in the box. It was definitely the most charming bouquet we tested.
Best User Experience: The Bouqs
Pros: Good variety; healthy flowers; easy to use site; affordable selections.
Cons: Slower delivery.
The Bouqs was hands-down the easiest site to maneuver with easy navigation and solid sort and filter options — by flower type, delivery date, price, occasion, color, vibe. It also offered some of the more affordable options with vase-less options starting at $49.
Best Variety for Mother's Day Delivery: ProFlowers
Pros: Pretty flowers; as pictured; solid vase; user-friendly site.
Cons: No Sunday or Monday delivery.
We love the option to shop Mother's Day under $60 arrangements and the fact that ProFlowers offers same-day hand-delivery by local florists and international shipping via parent company FTD.
Two delivery services that fell short:
H. Bloom
Pros: Fastest delivery; hand-delivered; bouquets are full; flower subscriptions available.
Cons: Not what I ordered; cold, corporate vibe; strict return policy; poor customer service.
Teleflora
Pros: Large arrangements; hand-delivery; international delivery; very responsive customer service.
Cons: Not what I ordered.