We ordered Valentine's Day flowers from eight of the best online flower delivery services – and ranked them best to worst
by Ruth HamiltonValentine's Day is here. Luckily, there's still time to order a special bouquet of Valentine’s Day flowers online, thanks to services like Interflore that offer same-day flower delivery – but which is the best flower delivery service to use? Unlike many Valentine’s Day gifts, it's hard to know what you'll get with flowers. A large bouquet at one eflorist may be a mere medium – or even small – bouquet at another, for example. But that's where we can help.
THE BEST VALENTINE'S DAY FLOWER DELIVERY SERVICES: RESULTS
You'll find our full report below, but if you just want to buy the best Valentine's Day flowers right now, here are the wining services, in order, as decided by our tests.
1. M&S Flowers - £5 off some bouquets
2. Waitrose Flowers - from just £20
3. Interflora - up to 25% extra free
4. Serenata - 25% off some bouquets
5. Moonpig - up to £15 off flowers
6. Bloom & Wild - free delivery
7. Flying Flowers - £5 off + free chocolates
8. Prestige Flowers - up to half price
We tested the best Valentine’s Day flowers. To help you avoid buying a sub-standard bouquet of Valentine's Day flowers, we put eight of the UK's best flower delivery services to the test. We ordered a £50 mixed bouquet from each (or as close to £50 as possible; not including delivery) and ranked the bouquets on the following criteria: value for money, freshness, presentation, ease of ordering, and delivery service.
While all the bouquets arrived on time, we awarded slightly higher marks for services that texted ahead with a delivery time and reminder. You'll find a full breakdown for each flower delivery service below, along with a final score. (For anyone solely interested in bouquet size, or freshness, you'll find separate comparisons underneath our main report. The difference in size, particularly, is worth a look.)
Before we get to the results, a word of warning. Some of these delivery services were unable to confirm last order times. Most advertise next day delivery up to the evening before, some with an extra charge, but whether this stands over busier periods isn't clear - so if you're looking to buy Valentine’s Day flowers online this week, we would advise ordering before Thursday 13 February, and ideally earlier to give closed buds time to bloom.
- Want to send flowers in the US? TechRadar has tested the best Valentine's Day flowers in the US
1. M&S Flowers – the best Valentine's Day flowers
Bouquet: The Collection Purple Haze Bouquet, £50
M&S FLOWERS SCORE
Value for money: 7/10
Freshness: 8/10
Presentation: 9/10
Ease of ordering: 9/10
Delivery service: 10/10
Total: 43/50 - the winner
Delivery cost: free | Number of stems on arrival: 20 | Freshness guarantee: 5 days | How many days did they actually last? 7 days+
What happened: Ordering from M&S Flowers was an enjoyable experience. The range of bouquets to choose from was one of the best on test, catering for classic tastes as well as offering more elaborate and on-trend options, and a selection of gift bundles. We were pleased to find the site easy to navigate. There was also plenty of clearly presented information about each bouquet on offer – including helpful images we didn't see elsewhere, such as a height guide and examples of how the bouquet looks in bloom and in bud.
Our delivery arrived on time with no issues, and the bouquet was impressive in real life. Some of the most delicate flowers came in a protective plastic stem casing (although one was still a little bashed).
Per stem, our bouquet from M&S represented the least value for money of all the services we tested. However, clever flower selection meant the overall effect of our bouquet was stunning. The packaging was also attractive. We awarded it a nine for presentation - a score matched only by two other services, Moonpig and Prestige, both of which delivered bouquets with 40-plus stems.
It’s worth pointing out that this bouquet didn’t last quite as long as some others on test. It delivered on M&S’ freshness guarantee of five days, but while some of the flowers were still going strong after a respectable seven days, many were starting to droop – the delicate lilies in particular. In comparison, our smaller bouquet from Interflora was still looking great after a week.
Verdict: Overall, M&S offered the best flower delivery service in our test. The Collection Purple Haze bouquet was one of the most striking we received, and we were impressed with the range of flowers on offer in general. However, while M&S shone in terms of ordering experience, it was slightly weaker on value for money and bouquet longevity. Nevertheless, we would happily order our Valentine's Day flowers from M&S again.
Buy the Collection Purple Haze bouquet from M&S, £50
See more M&S Valentine's Day flowers and gifts: from £20 | M&S
M&S offers an impressive range of Valentine's Day flowers, with 40 options catering to different tastes. Prices range from £20 for a dozen red roses all the way up to £100 for the stunning Forever Love rose bouquet. There are some classy gift bundles too – we especially like the Prosecco Lover's bundle. M&S is offering free Valentine’s delivery on all orders this year.
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2. Waitrose Florist
Bouquet: White Rose and Lily Bouquet, £42
WAITROSE FLORIST SCORE
Value for money: 8/10
Freshness: 8/10
Presentation: 8/10
Ease of ordering: 7/10
Delivery service: 10/10
Total: 41/50 - runner up
Delivery cost: free | Number of stems on arrival: 25 | Freshness guarantee: 7 days | How many days did they last? 7 days+
What happened: Waitrose & Partners had a slightly more limited range of flowers than many of the services we reviewed here, but the site is clear and easy to navigate. The bouquets on offer were attractive and, for the most part, modern looking.
Our bouquet arrived nicely arranged and packaged, and looked perky and full, with a pleasing variety of different flowers. We were pleased to note there were several buds still to open when the blooms were delivered. In fact, on arrival, only Interflora's bouquet scored higher than Waitrose on freshness, and that was hand-delivered from a local florist. After seven days, most of the bouquet was still looking good but many of the roses had started to go brown.
Verdict: Waitrose provided us with a reliable, trusted flower delivery service. Thoughtful presentation and fresh blooms made it a good all-rounder, and our second favourite service overall. There's a slightly limited range on offer, but we were pleased with our White Rose and Lily Bouquet and would happily order Valentine's Day flowers from Waitrose again.
Buy the White Rose and Lily bouquet from Waitrose, £42
See more Waitrose Valentine's Day Flowers: from £20 | Waitrose
There are 19 Valentine's Day bouquets at Waitrose, ranging from £15 to £150. Standout options include one that comes in a classy, reusable Emma Bridgewater jug, £60, or if you're feeling flush, the My Heart's Desire bouquet is exquisite. (We love the slightly cheaper version of that, too; pictured). Waitrose offers free next day delivery, too.
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3. Interflora
Bouquet: Dreamy Damson Hand-tied (Regular), £41
INTERFLORA SCORE
Value for money: 6/10
Freshness: 10/10
Presentation: 8/10
Ease of ordering: 7/10
Delivery service: 10/10
Total: 41/50
Delivery cost: £6 | Number of stems on arrival: 20 (10 specified on site) | Freshness guarantee: 7 days | How many days did they last? 7 days+
What happened: Interflora is the only service we tested that partners with local florists to supply and hand-deliver its flowers (our test bouquet came from Pulteney Bridge Flowers in Bath). While this adds a nice, personal touch – and means Interflora can offer delivery in as little as three hours – it does make it difficult to make definitive statements about about how good this bouquet and the delivery service might be in other areas of the country.
The ordering experience on the Interflora website is okay. A nice touch is that you can specify the occasion when you add delivery details, so your florist can handle it appropriately. One niggle, though, is that the type size on the order screen is minuscule, making it difficult to see what you're doing.
Our Interflora bouquet was hand-delivered, on-time and – unlike the others – not in a cardboard box, which meant the flowers were still looking very perky and fresh when we got them. The presentation was pleasant, but nothing overly exciting. However, we were impressed to see there were plenty of buds still to open when the bouquet was delivered. After a week the bouquet still looked great, with only a few blooms starting to droop and some buds still to flower.
Visually, this bouquet matched its photo on the Interflora website very well. When we counted the stems, though, there were 20: the description states there are only 10 stems in the Regular bunch. This makes it difficult to work out the cost-per-stem. Either way, you're paying a premium for the blooms to come from a local florist – this bouquet from Interflora was the second smallest of those we tested.
Verdict: As you might expect for the only bouquet to come via a local florist, the Dreamy Damson Hand-tied bouquet was the freshest of all the flowers in our test. The delivery, by hand, felt more personal than the others, and helped the bouquet make an even bigger initial impact. You're paying a little more for this element though. Different local florists will deliver difference experiences, but despite the size of our bouquet we were impressed with our order.
Buy the Dreamy Damson Hand-tied (Regular) from Interflora, £41
See more Interflora Valentine's Day flowers and gifts: from £32
You can choose from between 20 luxurious Valentine's Day bouquets at Interflora. All are personally delivered by local florists to ensure freshness. Prices start at £32 for the Ruby Rose Hatbox & Chocolates bouquet, with many mid-range options like the stunning Raspberry Romance bouquet (£65, pictured). Or, if you really, really want to make a statement, you can stump up £380 for 100 red roses.
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4. Serenata Flowers
Bouquet: Velvet Parfait, £39.99 (reduced from £49.99)
SERENATA FLOWERS SCORE
Value for money: 8/10 (based on original price)
Freshness: 8/10
Presentation: 8/10
Ease of ordering: 8/10
Delivery service: 9/10
Total: 41/50
Delivery cost: Free | Number of stems on arrival: 27 | Freshness guarantee: None stated | How many days did they last? 7 days+
What happened: Ordering from Serenata was a pleasant experience. The website is easy to filter and compare options, with clear product photos. It offers free Valentine's Day delivery, and at time of writing a number of bouquets were discounted. But honestly it's worth a look for the incredible bouquet names alone (Floral Ratatouille? Flirty Gerbora? Velvet Parfait?)
The flowers arrived with a chunky, square plastic tub of liquid at the base, which had leaked a little. We got the impression that not as much love had gone into putting this bunch together, compared to some of the others we tested – some blooms had been folded upside down and cut off at the head.
This bouquet was very similar in style to the one from M&S, with more stems, but not quite as nicely presented. It was also slightly dishevelled on arrival – there were some long leaves in particular that looked a little sad. However, after a week the bouquet as a whole was still looking impressively perky, with only the most delicate blooms drooping.
Verdict: Serenata is a solid all-rounder offering decent value for money. We liked our Velvet Parfait bouquet, and while it didn't quite have the wow factor on delivery as M&S, Moonpig or Prestige, its longevity and cheaper price mean Serenata is worth considering for your Valentine's Day flowers.
Buy the Velvet Parfait bouquet from Seranata, £39.99
See more Valentine's Day Flowers at Serenata: save up to 30%
There are 20 attractive Valentine's Day flower bouquets at Serenata, ranging from £20 to £100. Some, like the white-bloom Peace bouquet, have up to 30% off. We also particularly like the Bella, pictured, which is reduced to £39.99 (£49.99), and there's a £5 discount on a dozen red roses right now too.
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5. Moonpig
Bouquet: The Mayfair, £50
MOONPIG FLOWERS SCORE
Value for money: 9/10
Freshness: 9/10
Presentation: 9/10
Ease of ordering: 6/10
Delivery service: 7/10
Total: 40/50
Delivery cost: £3.99 | Number of stems on arrival: 46 (25 specified) | Freshness guarantee: 7 days | How many days did they last? 7 days+
What happened: Moonpig might be best known for its greeting cards, but the company has also been doing flowers since late 2009. Overall, our impression of the range on offer here is that it's quite classic, with some standout bouquets, alongside a few more gimmicky options (a single rainbow rose, anyone?)
We found the site hard to navigate, and a mix-up at Moonpig's end meant we ended up with two bouquets. (Our request to change the delivery day was verbally confirmed but not actioned – Moonpig did send out a second bunch on the correct day free of charge, however, so good customer service points there.)
As a result, we didn't have high hopes for this flower delivery service. But we were very pleasantly surprised when we received a fresh, full and perky bouquet, with plenty of buds still to open. After a week, the bouquet was still looking great (although a fair few of the lilly buds hadn't opened). Only Interflora's bouquet scored higher on freshness, and that was hand-delivered from a local florist.
Verdict: A difficult ordering experience was made up for with an impressively fresh, vibrant bouquet from Moonpig. Our Mayfair bouquet was easily one of the best we tested, and delivered the most value for money. If Moonpig makes its site more usable, it would be sitting much higher up this ranking.
Buy the Mayfair bouquet from Moonpig, £50
See more Valentine's Day flowers at Moonpig: from £18
There are four different collections within Moonpig's Valentine's range: red roses (with £10 off), luxury flowers, mixed bouquets and gift sets. We especially like The Sweetness (£22, pictured) or the beautiful Valentine's Rose and Peony (£65). You can get a free card with your flowers by adding code: VDAYBLOOM at checkout.
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6. Bloom & Wild
Bouquet: The Lara, £45
BLOOM & WILD SCORE
Value for money: 9/10
Freshness: 8/10
Presentation: 8/10
Ease of ordering: 6/10
Delivery service: 9/10
Total: 40/50
Delivery cost: Free | Number of stems on arrival: 28 | Freshness guarantee: None stated | How many days did they actually last? 7 days+
What happened: Of all the flower delivery services here, Bloom & Wild has perhaps the most distinctive personality. The bouquets have a woodland, wildflower-like look that feels modern and cool right now. The aesthetic extends, not unpleasantly, to the site and packaging (we think the 'customer delight manager' is a step too far, however).
Unlike most of the flowers in our test, these came lying on their side in a box, and perhaps as a result, looked very slightly dishevelled when they arrived. There were some blooms still to open, but most were already in flower. Based on this, we were expecting the bouquet not to last that well, but we were pleasantly surprised. After a week it was still looking great, although the outer petals on many of the roses had started to brown. You also get an extra sachet of plant food with Bloom & Wild.
Our main issue with Bloom & Wild is just how painful the site is to use. There are no filtering options beyond the very basics, and you can't arrange by price, so you're jumping wildly between £30 bouquets and £200 annual subscriptions. You also have to scroll sideways through a carousel of images, which is only four options wide, making it incredibly difficult to compare bouquets.
Verdict: Bloom & Wild has a definite aesthetic: if you want long-lasting, wildflower-looking Valentine's Day flowers, this is the place to get them. Our Lara bouquet was beautiful and, importantly, lasted well. A style-over-substance site design made this offering a little less sweet, but the flowers were worth it and we would buy from Bloom & Wild again.
Buy the Lara bouquet from Bloom & Wild, £45
See more Valentine's Day flowers at Bloom & Wild: Save 10% | use code BLOOM10
Bloom & Wild offers a selection of 48 bouquets for Valentine's Day, all with the brand's distinctive, romantic look. Prices run from £22 to £105. The range includes the Bloom & Wild's signature letterbox flowers, which fit through your door without someone having to be around to receive them – a handy option for some. We especially like the limited-edition Our Florists Pick bouquets (£28).
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7. Flying Flowers
Bouquet: Berry Blush, £28.99
FLYING FLOWERS: SCORE
Value for money: 8/10
Freshness: 8/10
Presentation: 7/10
Ease of ordering: 7/10
Delivery service: 9/10
Total: 39/50
Delivery cost: Free | Number of stems on arrival: 20 | Freshness guarantee: 7 days | How many days did they actually last? 7 days+
What happened: As a service, Flying Flowers has a cheap and cheerful kind of vibe. The website looks dated, but it's easy enough to use. Bar one bouquet that was higher than our £50 limit, the flowers here cap out around £38, so we chose a cheaper option at just under £30 that we thought would provide a fair visual comparison with the others here.
The bouquet arrived packaged on its side, like Bloom & Wild's, and had some kind of weird jelly in the base to provide moisture. Buds were mostly open, and the arrangement was fine but nothing special. After a week, a few flowers had died but most were still in bloom and looking good.
There are a couple of concessions here, which are to be expected at this price point: the bouquet was noticeably smaller than others we tested, and the packaging wasn't particularly attractive (clear one side; brown paper the other).
Verdict: With Flying Flowers, we had nothing to complain about, but nothing that particularly stood out either. We wouldn't choose this service for a big celebration, and it wouldn't be our first choice for Valentine's Day flowers. But for a cheap and cheerful bunch of flowers, our Berry Blush bouquet did the job just fine.
Buy the Berry Blush bouquet from Flying Flowers, £28.99
See more Valentine's Day flowers at Flying Flowers: £10 off + free chocolates
There are 13 Valentine's Day bouquets to choose from at Flying Flowers, all of which are very classic in style. Prices peak at £52.99, for two dozen luxury red roses. One bouquet – the True Love Vase – comes with an attractive glass vase included. You'll also get free delivery and free chocolates with all bouquets.
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8. Prestige Flowers
Bouquet: Monarch of the Glen (National Gallery Collection), £50
PRESTIGE FLOWERS: SCORE
Value for money: 8/10
Freshness: 7/10
Presentation: 9/10
Ease of ordering: 4/10
Delivery service: 9/10
Total: 30/50
Delivery cost: £5.80| Number of stems on arrival: 40 | Freshness guarantee: None stated | How many days did they last? 7 days+
What happened: The purchase process for Prestige Flowers was not enjoyable. The site is old fashioned and very hard to navigate, and the photography is small and limited, so we weren't quite sure what we were ordering. When we made our purchase, options in the Valentine's Day Flowers collection included a funeral wreath and a sympathy basket, so it seems the curation process was not as thorough as you might hope (this has now been rectified).
It's a shame, because the bouquet we received from Prestige was surprisingly good. We chose a bouquet from the National Gallery Collection, inspired by Sir Edwin Landseer's painting Monarch of the Glen. It was undoubtedly impressive – thistles, twisty twigs and gold foliage add a real wow factor. The cellophane wrappings were attractive and the bouquet came in a smart black gift bag, so you could easily pass it on as is.
In terms of freshness, it was a mixed bag: all the blooms were open on arrival, and two roses died within just four days. However, the rest of the bouquet was still looking great after a week.
Verdict: The Monarch of the Glen bouquet from Prestige Flowers was undoubtedly one of the most impressive, well-presented and dramatic bouquets in our test. There are some nice Valentine's Day flower bouquets options on offer, too, but a clunky site and gimmick-heavy wider range is a little off-putting. This service leans heavily on the 'add-ons' – in fact, some options don't include flowers at all; just Lindt balls or lollypops. Nevertheless, if you want a high-impact bouquet and gift all in one, this might just be the place.
Buy the Monarch of the Glen bouquet from Prestige, £50
See more Valentine's Day Flowers at Prestige: Up to 50% off
There's a wide range of bouquets to choose from at Prestige. Prices start at £19.99 for bouquets like the Luxury Rose and Tulip selection, with plenty around the £40 mark, such as the Paris bouquet by Haute Florist (pictured).
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So where should I buy my Valentine's Day flowers?
The best bouquet we received overall, came from M&S Flowers, with our bouquet from Waitrose Florist coming a close second. We wouldn't hesitate to use either flower delivery service again to order our Valentine's Day flowers.
However, if you're looking to specifically buy the biggest Valentine's Day flower bouquet that you can for the money, or the very freshest bouquet, the results are a little different.
We took an overhead photo of each bouquet we ordered. They're shot to scale, and we've ordered them below from biggest through to smallest, so you can see which flower delivery service was most generous for the money. There's a huge difference between the biggest and smallest, as you'll notice. Here's what we found.
The biggest Valentine's Day bouquet came from...
Here are the results, ordered from biggest to smallest: 1 - Prestige Flowers, 2 - Waitrose, 3 - M&S Flowers, 4 - Moonpig, 5 - Bloom & Wild, 6 - Serenata Flowers, 7 - Interflora, 8 - Flying Flowers. (Just bear in mind that the biggest bouquets aren't always the best, as our test results above show.)
The freshest Valentine's Day bouquet came from...
Here are the results, ordered from most to least fresh: Interflora - 10, Moonpig - 9, M&S - 8, Waitrose - 8, Serenata - 8, Bloom & Wild - 8, Flying Flowers - 8, Prestige - 7.