The best flowers to send to a hospital

When a loved one or friend ends up in hospital for a planned or unplanned procedure, it can be stressful for everyone involved. As the patient, spending hours, days, or even weeks in a hospital bed can easily affect your mood. The walls and surroundings are usually quite grim which is why fresh flowers are such a popular get well soon gift. Before you send flowers to somebody in hospital, however, it’s important to remember a few important guidelines.

Firstly, you need to find out where your loved one is spending their time recovering. If they are in an ICU ward, for example, they might not be permitted to receive any flowers at this stage. It might sound harsh but it’s for the best since their immune system is probably compromised by surgery and treatements. Make sure that you get the green light from the hospital before you bring in a bouquet.

Another point to consider is the size of the bouquet. Your loved one might have limited space for displaying flowers which means that a smaller bunch will be a better option. You don’t want to overcrowd their bedside table when more important items like a jug of water should be the priority.

Don’t forget about pollen when ordering flowers. Some flowers have heavy pollen and others have lighter pollen. Lighter pollen might seem like a good idea but this can affect allergies and the health of other patients. Heavy pollen can fall and cause quite a mess on the table. The best solution is to ask your florist for flowers with minimal pollen or to even have them remove the pollen.

When patients are recovering, even the slightest scent might be unwelcome. Smells that are otherwise lovely can seem overpowering when you are stuck in bed next to a sweet bouquet for hours or days. The sweet scent can give some more sensitive patients a headache so ask your florist for flowers with little to no scent.

Remember, even if you cannot decorate their hospital room now, it doesn’t mean that you cannot make their home warm and welcoming when they arrive. If you cannot pamper them in hospital, save at least some of your ideas for when they make it home. They will still need to take it easy and a bright and colourful environment is perfect to help the healing process.