I tested mail order Mother’s Day flowers from M&S to Interflora – winner was full of vibrant colours but had a downside
WITH many of us unable to be with our loved one on Mother’s Day, a bunch of flowers delivered to the door is the perfect way to show you care.
It is the biggest day in the calendar for florists, with sales totalling £1.3billion last year.
But with prices ranging from £14.99 to more than £100, do posted bouquets live up to the pictures on their websites?
From blooming beautiful to disappointingly droopy, Alison Maloney ordered one bunch from eight online stores to find the best value, giving each a rating out of ten.
M&S, Blush Rose Abundance, £25 + free delivery – 3/10
I EXPECTED real quality from this High Street stalwart, but while it’s a good price for 23 stems, the roses arrived battered, bruised and browning, with many squashed.
They may perk up, but my initial impression was disappointment. Free delivery but no option for next day post.
Bloom & Wild, Sophia Liberty, £37 + £4 next day delivery – 2/10
AMONG the cheapest on the site, the bouquet of roses, limonium and chrysanthemums were disappointingly sparse.
Advertised as being “more beautiful 24-48 hours” after arrival, the five roses were already in full bloom.
Prestige Flowers, Rose and Lily, £24.99 + £5.99 delivery – 5/10
AVAILABLE in three sizes – standard, medium and large – but only the medium is shown on the website, making it hard to see what the small looks like.
The five roses were a vibrant red and the few lilies arrived closed, but some were broken at the stem and there was a lot of greenery.
Haute Florist, Pink Rose Meadow, £25.50 + £4 delivery – 8/10
IT’S available in three sizes and only the medium is pictured online, but the small bouquet is still impressive with 12 pink and white roses.
One bloom was showing signs of browning after a day, but on the whole the bouquet was beautifully arranged and very pleasing.
Eflorist Spring Daze with free chocs, £25.99 + £5.99 delivery – 8/10
THIS is a riot of colour, with purple alstroemeria and carnations, orange germini and cerise and orange roses, available in three sizes.
The bouquet had the exact number of stems as the picture, and the alstroemeria was yet to bloom. The free mini box of Lindt was an added bonus.
B&M, Love You Mum, £14.99 + free 1 to 2 day delivery – 8/10
A GREAT budget bouquet, which also has the option of tracked delivery for £2.95.
It arrived in a discreet non-branded box with no sign of a B&M logo.
The standard contains one rose and one germini, compared to two in the medium size pictured, but they looked healthy.
Interflora, Classic Spring gift box, £37 + £7.50 delivery – 9/10
WITH arrangements starting at £37, Interflora is among the dearest.
As each bouquet is “bespoke”, the website warns it may not look exactly like the picture and, while the varieties and colours did vary, the flowers were vibrant and healthy, including a generous spray of orange roses.
Funky Pigeon, Pink & White Rose Letterbox, £19 + £5 delivery – 5/10
REASONABLY priced for 12 roses and they arrived promptly.
But by day two many of them were browning and looking sad.
When compared to the Haute bouquet, which also had 12 roses as well as other blooms and foliage, the price difference was not reflected in value.