When someone ends up in hospital, the instinct to send flowers is almost always a genuine one and happens in an instant. They can really lift the visual impact of a clinical room and convey, without needing you to actually be there, that you’re thinking of the patient. That message is a lot more important than most people tend to think. What also matters, although it sometimes gets overlooked before ordering, is whether the flowers will actually reach the patient, whether the arrangement will fit the room, and whether your timing is right or totally off.
Getting all that right is what separates a genuinely comforting gesture from one that just gets lost in the moment, and it’s what choosing a professional Melbourne hospital florist from the outset can prevent.
What Melbourne Hospitals Allow and What They Won’t
Hospital flower policies are all over the shop in Melbourne; you’ve got a real mixed bag across the public and private facilities. And that’s the first important thing to check before you even think about ordering. The Intensive Care and Oncology wards often flat-out restrict fresh-cut flowers because of infection control protocols, and don’t make any exceptions for small arrangements or fancy presentation. Some wards will only let you bring in certain types; lilies in particular, because even a small number of them can be a real nuisance for everyone in a shared clinical space.
Potted plants are sometimes okay where cut flowers aren’t, but that’s also going to depend on the ward and the hospital. The most reliable way to do this right is to give the ward a call before you order, or work with a florist who actually knows their stuff and has delivered to Melbourne hospitals before. They’ll already know which places have rules in place, and can steer you clear of them.
What Works in a Hospital Room?
Just because flowers are allowed, it doesn’t mean every arrangement is suitable for a hospital environment. A nice small posy or a hand-tied bouquet is perfect for a bedside table, whereas a big, fancy arrangement is just going to get in the way and obstruct the nursing staff’s access.
Australian native flowers are a great choice for hospital visits. Their scent isn’t too overpowering in a clinical setting, they tend to last a lot longer in the vase than imported varieties, which is good news for patients who are stuck in there for a while, and they’re just less likely to cause a problem.
Light, soft pastel arrangements often have a nice calming effect and don’t come across as sympathy flowers; they’re more just a nice, considered gesture. When your flowers arrive and can just be placed in a vase or container, that’s a more thoughtful touch than when the patient or ward staff have to go scrambling for one.
Timing the Delivery to the Stay
Hospital flowers require a special time sensitivity that differs from deliveries at home and at work. Flowers arriving early in a patient’s stay might have wilted by the time the patient leaves the hospital, especially where the patient is scheduled to be admitted and discharged within 48 hours. Flowers delivered after one or two days in the hospital tend to touch the patient more than those arriving during admission, since by then the patient is more accustomed to being in the hospital.
When the patient stays for a long time in the hospital, two separate flower arrangements sent throughout the period will mean more to the patient than one large delivery upon arrival. The second flower arrangement is meant to show up once the reality of the situation begins to dawn on the patient.
What to Write in the Card?
While most people undervalue cards in the hospital setting, the importance of cards in gifts is underestimated in most other situations too. It is much more meaningful to say something about how the patient feels without necessarily referring to the procedure. Words like “get well soon” tend to lack sincerity when the patient knows he or she is undergoing a tough time.
Where there is something unique that refers specifically to the patient, something that the sender knows, such a phrase goes beyond what a standard well-wish message can achieve. When the patient’s children help write the words in the card, it shows the patient how much he or she is loved.
Adding Something That Lasts Beyond the Ward
Sometimes in addition to flowers, a patient staying in the hospital needs another gift. Chocolates work better after the patient’s diet has been checked, while a candle that the patient can use at home is good for patients who need a gift to look forward to when they leave the hospital.
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