Flowers Delivery in Germany: A Florist's Guide to Sending a Bouquet

Turboflora delivers flowers to 45 cities in Germany, including Berlin, Potsdam, Düsseldorf, Bonn, Leipzig and Münster. You pick a bouquet on the Germany page, add the address and your card text, and pay online in rubles; the price already includes delivery.

Germany has its own quiet rules about flowers, and knowing them makes the difference between a nice gift and a perfect one. Below we go through ordering step by step, how Germans read colours and varieties, when not to send a birthday bouquet, how to address the order so the courier finds the right door, and what to write on the card.

Placing an order to a German city

An order to Germany is placed the same way as one within Russia. Find the city on the Germany page, choose a bouquet, enter the recipient's name and address, write the card text and pay with a bank card, SBP or Yandex Pay. The amount is shown in rubles and already covers delivery, so what you see is what you pay.

If the city you need is not obvious from the list, open the full Flower delivery abroad page. It is in Russian, but the country and city names are easy to spot, and it shows every place we deliver to across 53 countries.

Not sure which bouquet travels the message you want, or how to write a tricky address? A manager on WhatsApp can help you choose, check the details and agree the card text before you pay.

Writing a German address the right way

German addresses follow a different order from Russian ones. The street comes first and the house number after it, for example Hauptstraße 12. On the next line goes the five-digit postcode, the Postleitzahl, and then the city: 10115 Berlin. A correct postcode is essential, because many street names repeat in different districts and towns.

The single most important detail is the surname on the doorbell. Most Germans live in apartment buildings with a panel of bells labelled by surname, not by flat number. If the name you give does not match the name on the Klingelschild, finding the right door becomes guesswork. When a couple has different surnames, ask which one is on the bell, or use a phrase like "c/o Müller".

Watch out for special letters. Ä, ö, ü and ß are part of the address, and Düsseldorf or Münster written without them is still understandable, but street names can be ambiguous. Copy the address exactly as the recipient writes it, ideally from a message they sent you.

Bouquets we can deliver

Bouquet of 1 yellow sunflowers

$13

Bouquet of 3 white French roses with eucalyptus, 50 cm

$18

Bouquet of 3 red French roses with eucalyptus, 50 cm

$18

Bouquet of 3 pink roses with eucalyptus, 50 cm

$18

How Germans read flowers: colours, varieties and taboos

In Germany, as in Russia, an odd number of stems is the traditional choice for a gift bouquet, so you will feel at home with that custom. Red roses are reserved for romance; giving them to a colleague or a friend's mother would raise eyebrows. For friendship and family, Germans love tulips, ranunculus, gerberas and mixed seasonal bouquets in soft or bright colours.

Be careful with chrysanthemums, white lilies and calla lilies. In Germany they are strongly linked with cemeteries, especially around Allerheiligen, All Saints' Day on 1 November, when graves are decorated with them. Carnations also feel old-fashioned to many Germans. None of this is a strict ban, but for a birthday or an anniversary there are happier choices in the catalogue.

German taste leans towards natural, unfussy arrangements. Bouquets with plenty of greenery, visible stems and modest wrapping look elegant there, while very glossy, heavily decorated packaging can seem a little much.

Timing: never early for a German birthday

Here is the rule that surprises most Russians: in Germany it is considered bad luck to congratulate someone before their birthday. A bouquet that arrives the day before is not a thoughtful early gesture there; for many people it is mildly unlucky. Aim for the birthday itself, or a day later if you have to choose.

Germany is two hours behind Moscow in winter and one hour behind in summer. That sounds small, but if you place an order in the morning in Moscow thinking of breakfast in Berlin, remember that the recipient's day has only just started.

Plan ahead for the big dates. Muttertag, German Mother's Day, falls on the second Sunday of May; Valentine's Day is popular; 8 March is a familiar date for many families from the former Soviet Union living in Germany, even if it is not a public holiday there. Ordering a few days in advance leaves time to check the address and the card.

A few words for the card in German

The card is free, and a short message in German is a lovely touch for German friends or partners. Simple phrases work best: "Alles Gute zum Geburtstag" for a birthday, "Herzlichen Glückwunsch" for congratulations of any kind, "Gute Besserung" for get well soon, and "In Liebe" or "Alles Liebe" before your name.

If the recipient is from a Russian-speaking family, they will probably appreciate Russian more, but it may be printed in Latin letters, so write it in transliteration or check with the manager how the card will look. Keep the text to three or four lines; it reads better on a small card.

Delivery is anonymous by default: the courier does not name the sender. If you want the recipient to know who sent the flowers, sign the card. If you want to stay a secret admirer, simply leave it unsigned.

Keeping the bouquet fresh in a German flat

German homes are well heated in winter, and air can get dry. Ask the recipient to trim the stems at an angle, remove leaves below the water line and place the vase somewhere cool, away from the radiator and from the fruit bowl, since ripening fruit shortens the life of cut flowers.

Fresh water every two days makes a real difference. Many Germans also air their rooms several times a day by opening the windows wide, the famous Stoßlüften; that cool air is good for flowers, but a vase on the windowsill in frosty weather should be moved away while the window is open.

Tulips, a German favourite in spring, keep growing in the vase and bend towards the light, so turning the vase daily keeps them tidy. Roses usually last about a week, while alstroemeria and carnations can stay fresh for two weeks.

And if you also want to surprise someone in Russia, the order works the same way: city delivery costs 500 RUB, with express delivery in large cities and delivery at an exact time window. We deliver bouquets across Russia in 1–2 hours.