Someone you care about is in hospital, and you want to send something to show you are thinking of them. Then the questions start. Will the ward even take flowers? What if a strong scent bothers the patient in the next bed? Is a big bunch going to sit awkwardly on a tiny bedside table?
Here is the short version. For get well flowers in Melbourne, the safe choice is small, low in scent, free of loose pollen, and arranged in its own container so nobody has to find a vase. Some wards welcome flowers. Others, like intensive care, will not allow them at all. Knowing the difference before you order saves a wasted delivery and a bit of stress.
Here is a quick guide to what suits each situation.
| Situation | What to send | What to avoid |
|---|---|---|
| General ward | A small, low-scent arrangement in its own container (gerberas, carnations or roses). | Large bunches, strong scents, loose pollen. |
| Maternity ward | Check first. Small and low-scent if allowed, or send to the home. | Lilies, heavy scents, anything bulky. |
| Intensive care or high-care | A card now. Flowers later, once they move wards or go home. | Fresh flowers and plants (not allowed). |
| Send to the home instead | A fuller arrangement for the day they get home. | Sending to the ward when discharge is close. |
Rules differ between hospitals, and even between wards in the same hospital. So when you are choosing flowers for someone in hospital, the first move is always the same. Call the ward and ask before you order.
A few patterns hold across most Melbourne hospitals. Intensive care is the clearest. The Royal Melbourne Hospital does not allow flowers at the bed space in its intensive care unit, because of the infection risk. The Royal Brisbane and Women's Hospital asks visitors not to bring flowers or plants into its unit for the same reason. If the person is in intensive care or a high-care unit, send a card for now. Flowers can come later, once they move to a general ward or go home.
General wards are usually more relaxed, but there is no single rule. Healthdirect, the national health service, points out that every hospital and ward sets its own visitor policy. Some take flowers happily. Some ask for no soil or potted plants. The reasons come down to three things. Infection control, since water in a vase can grow bacteria. Shared rooms, where a strong scent or loose pollen can bother other patients. And space, because a bedside table is small and already crowded. A quick phone call clears all of this up in a minute.
Maternity wards are their own case. Policies vary from one hospital to the next, and special care nurseries usually will not accept flowers at all. Many people skip the ward and send flowers to the home, where the new parents have more room and time to enjoy them. If you do want to send to a maternity ward, keep it small and low-scent, and check first.
One short call answers everything. It is worth asking:
Have the patient's full name and the ward name ready before you call. If you are not sure which ward they are on, the hospital's main desk can point you to the right number. A minute on the phone saves a delivery that gets turned away at the door.
After more than 20 years of arranging flowers, we know which blooms cope best in a warm, dry hospital room with little care. Three are hard to beat, and all three are easy to keep low-scent to cheer someone up without troubling the room.
Whatever you choose, keep it small, and pick an arrangement that sits in its own box or container. That way there is no scramble for a vase on a busy ward. Bright colours like yellow and orange lift a dull room, while soft pinks and creams feel calmer, so pick what suits the person. If the patient has a sensitive chest or shares a room, ask us for a low-scent mix. It is the same thinking behind our guide to flowers for people who get headaches from strong scents.
A few things cause more trouble than they are worth in a hospital room.
Sometimes the kinder move is to wait. If the person is heading home in a day or two, send the flowers to their home instead, so they arrive once they are settled rather than while they are packing up to leave. If the ward will not take flowers at all, a card now and flowers later works well. And for a long stay, a small box arrangement that needs no care can be easier to live with than fresh flowers that need their water topped up. If you are not sure what the patient would prefer, a quick word with a close family member usually settles it.
Not sure what to write? A few simple lines for get well soon flowers:
It depends on the flower and the room. Carnations are the winners here, often lasting two weeks or more. Gerberas and roses usually give a week to ten days with fresh water. Hospital rooms tend to be warm and dry, which shortens vase life, so a hardy choice helps. One tip for whoever is at the bedside: keep the flowers out of direct sun and away from any heater vent, and top up the water every couple of days. Our flower care guide covers the rest.
Before you order, check two things with the ward: whether they take flowers, and the patient's room or bed number. Then call us or order online. We are in Carrum Downs Regional Shopping Centre, and we deliver same-day across Victoria on orders placed before 2pm, so a morning call can reach a south-east Melbourne hospital the same afternoon. If the ward cannot take flowers, we can hold your order and deliver to the home on the day the patient is discharged instead. And if someone you care about is recovering interstate, we can arrange delivery through the Interflora and Petals networks.
