Flowers for a colleague, your boss or the office - how to get it right
Someone has a birthday, retires, has a baby or falls ill. Flowers from work are one of the most common gifts - and one of the hardest to get right: how much, what kind, where should they go and what do you write? Here are the answers, occasion by occasion.
The basic rule: the occasion decides everything. A birthday can take colour and cheer, a leaving gift should feel generous, and illness or bereavement call for discretion - and for sending flowers to the home. Below is a cheat sheet per occasion, bouquet suggestions and card messages that work.
What works when? Cheat sheet by occasion
| Occasion | Suitable flowers | Budget | Deliver to |
|---|---|---|---|
| Milestone birthday | Bright bouquet - gerberas, roses, tulips. Ideally their favourite colour. | £25-50 | Office |
| Birthday (ordinary) | Smaller cheerful bouquet or a nice plant for the desk. | £18-30 | Office |
| Leaving / retirement | Generous bouquet in warm colours, or a large green plant to take home. | £45-90 | Office, last day |
| Off sick | Calm, low-scent bouquet - tulips, alstroemeria, ranunculus. | £25-45 | Home |
| New baby / parental leave | Light, soft bouquet - pink, yellow or white. No strong scents. | £25-45 | Home (after the hospital) |
| Bereavement | White or pale sympathy bouquet, with a card from the whole group. | £35-70 | Home |
| Promotion / project finished | Sunflowers, gerberas or a clear, cheerful bouquet. | £22-40 | Office |
| The boss (from the team) | Neutral and elegant - white or pastel roses, peonies in season. | £35-60 | Office |
Popular choices for the office
Bright birthday bouquet
Gerberas and roses in cheerful colours - copes with an open-plan office and lifts the mood at coffee time.
View birthday bouquets →
Calm bouquet for the home
Low-scent tulips or alstroemeria, sent to the home of a colleague who is off sick.
View get-well bouquets →
Soft bouquet for new parents
Pink, yellow or white - sent home once the family is back from the hospital.
View new-baby bouquets →
White bouquet from the team
Discreet and dignified, with a shared card. Sent to the home.
View sympathy flowers →What do you write on the card?
The card from work should be short, warm and clearly from the group. Avoid in-jokes the recipient will have to explain to their family.
Keep in mind
- Collect money and order one lovely bouquet rather than many small ones
- Check the address: office or home, floor, department
- For illness or bereavement: send to the home, ideally a few days later once the first storm has passed
- Bouquet with a water reservoir or vase - few people have a vase at work
Avoid
- Strongly scented flowers (lilies, hyacinths) in open-plan offices
- Red roses for one colleague - easily read as romantic
- Sending to the office when the colleague is at home
- A card with no sender - always say who you are
Order flowers from work - delivery to the office or home anywhere in the UK, next-day.
View bouquets →Frequently asked questions
How much do people usually spend on flowers for a colleague?
From a group, £25-50 is typical for a birthday or leaving gift; from one person, £20-35. For illness or bereavement a little more, £35-70, as a joint gift.
Can you send flowers to a colleague’s home?
Yes - and it is usually the right choice when the colleague is off sick, on leave or bereaved. Check the address with a close colleague or the manager.
What do you write on the card from work?
Short, warm and signed by the group: "Happy birthday from all of us in finance", "Get well soon - we miss you", "Thank you for the years together".
Which flowers suit an office?
Low-scent, sturdy cut flowers such as gerberas, tulips, alstroemeria and roses. Avoid lilies and hyacinths in open-plan offices where someone may be allergic.
