• To whom is it to go?
• What kind of flowers and design?
• With what accompanying message?
• From whom, and how will it be paid?

• The person who is likely to receive the flowers should be listed first. Thus, if the flowers are for grandma, but she's a live-in with Aunt Mary, in Aunt Mary's house and available through Aunt Mary's phone, then put Aunt Mary's name on the order!
• Is the recipient's name spelled correctly, especially the last name? There are lots of "Smiths" in a hospital, but maybe only one "Smyth."
• Especially if the last name is familiar, include the middle initial. Depending on the neighborhood, there may be more than two "Mary Dombrowski" in a nursing home.
• Take time to call attention to tricky spelling of a last name; later, if necessary, the florist will use the telephone book to look up an address, and any tricky spelling becomes crucial.
• If "Ni-ni" is how she's known to the family, then put her nick-name in quotes but provide her more formal or more popularly recognized name, please.
• If the hospitalized person is likely to use her maiden name, but many know her by her married name, then put both down.
• Must the flowers be received only by the recipient? That means, if the person isn’t in the home or office, that the flowers might not be delivered until another day. (Next day deliveries are either refreshed or re-done.) If someone other than the recipient signs for the flowers, florists are not held responsible for what happens thereafter.
• If no-one is home, "normal" procedure is to find a neighbor who is willing to hold the arrangement temporarily, and then a "door tag" is left on the front or most prominent door giving directions as to who has the arrangement. If that’s OK with you, just say: "can be left."
• If weather permits (not too cold, nor in the direct sun), can flowers be left at the front door or on a side porch or wherever, with a door tag saying where it is? If so, please say "can be left on porch…" or whatever.
• If going to an office, can the general phone number of the office be used, or must the person’s extension be given? (HINT: For government offices these post-9/11 days, our drivers are usually forced to stay at the front desk and await someone coming down for the arrangement, which means the person’s own phone extension is vital.)
• If more than one phone number is likely to reach the recipient, please provide all such numbers and then ask that the most likely phone number (to be answered during the day) be placed first, and that the others be identified – i.e. "cell" or "work" or "home" or assistant’s" – etc.
• Is a ZIP code available (it helps drivers track down the order)? The "+4" extra part of the ZIP won’t help but it doesn’t hurt either.
• For deliveries to funeral homes, at least one hour prior to the first viewing must be allowed for the staff to record the incoming flowers, cards, and place the tribute accordingly.
• Good practice is to ask that your name and address be written on the back of the enclosure card going to a funeral home. It helps the staff and it helps the relatives write thank-you notes.
• Addresses or phone numbers of commonly used destinations are kept on file by most florists, so no need to delay sending an order if every last detail isn’t known.
• For hospital deliveries, if the patient is in "intensive care unit" (like immediately after surgery) can flowers be accepted at the hospital without the usual room number being assigned? Flowers can be sent to visitors sitting outside the ICU unit, usually.
• At some hospitals, the driver goes to the patient’s hospital room to deliver the flowers directly, while at most, the flowers are left with a central desk and volunteers (gray ladies?) actually deliver the flowers. Thus, hospital deliveries cannot be "timed" to arrive at the patient’s room precisely.

What kind of flowers and design?

• In general, the less specific your request, the better for the design. Orders are sent to florists, not according to some formula, so giving latitude to a creative designer is advisable. However, giving general guidance is certainly beneficial i.e. no white flowers, or no fragrance, or whatever. Ask us.
  
• Most designs will be created in a clear glass crystal vase. Usually, that’s the least expensive container (although there are some really cheap-looking straw baskets available, which we don’t recommend). Some florists, un-accustomed to doing designs on their own initiative in vases, will insist on using wire-service containers or baskets ... at which point we’ll consider changing florists.
• Seasonal variations exist … tulips in the Spring, zinnias in the summer, etc. Easy answer is to just say "seasonal flowers." Ask us..
• How the flowers will be used is important – a three-sided design for a foyer, to go in front of a mirror, should be mentioned. Dining room table centerpieces, usually described as oval, should have height determined by the room and/or a chandelier. For ideas, ask us.
• Funeral wreaths, on metal stands, or casket flowers can be of any variety, but calla lilies are generally associated with sympathy. Ask us.
• Yes, many feel there are sentiments associated with specific flowers – red roses mean love, yellow mean friendship, etc. No one authority reigns supreme, and just about any sentiment can find a book saying so. Ask us.
• Some flowers last longer than others. Tiny forget-me-nots, for example, are precious but not long-lasting. Large carnations, often giving a blob of color to a design like a huge pimple, can out-last just about any other flower. Ask us.
• Greens enhance the flowers, like a frame enhances a painting. Because it lasts forever and is tough to survive even the worst mis-handling, the so-called "leatherleaf" or baker fern is commonly used …and creates a dark green dreadful appearance. Unless ordered otherwise, we’ll specify unusual greens like seeded eucalyptus or boxwood or whatever's season. Ask us.
• Light 'feathery' flowers help fill in a design around the major or "show" blossoms of lilies, or roses, or gerberas. Depending on season, white montecasino or yellow solidago or dark red hypericum berries are examples of appropriate filler. Ask us.
• Blooming plants, like azaleas or hothouse mums or kalenchoe, are an appropriate alternative to a floral design – but the recipient may not want the burden of trying to keep the plant alive. Seasonal variations exist, such as bulb gardens in the Spring or boxes of green grass in the summer or vibrant Fall mums. Ask us.
• The peace lily, with its white blossom when in bloom, is the florist's best friend – virtually indestructible, the only plant we trust to be sent to a college dorm room, the spath or spathiphyllum is often associated with sympathy or funeral displays. xarger sizes can become floor plants. Ask us.
  

With what accompanying message?

• Many florists still use pre-printed cards with hand-written messages, so first s step is to select a common sentiment (Happy Birthday, or Deepest Sympathy, etc.) and then add other writing and names. Larger, more mechanized florists will print everything on a blank card.

Here are standard printed cards and suggested wording:

From whom, and how will it be paid?

• Debit or credit cards, taken by phone or email, must include the mailing address to which the credit card bill is sent. The numbers and the expiration date will be verified before the order is process. All major credit card companies are honored.
• No C-O-D orders are accepted unless picked up at our store’s front desk.
• Full name of the credit card holder must be supplied. If the name of the credit card holder, the sender making the order, and the name on the enclosure card are different, please explain the relationship in case the credit card company asks for clarification.
• While a Company Flowers House Account may be used at any time, all House Accounts should have a valid and current credit card on file as back-up, i.e. to be used in case of non-payment of the monthly billing.
• Credit cards on file are kept as part of a person’s account, so please refer either to a Company Flowers account number (if known) or by last name and home telephone number so the correct account can be determined. If an office account is also maintained (also filed by last name) please note the difference between a home and an office account.
• Credit cards can be used to pay monthly House Accounts (to obtain miles?) despite the credit card company’s advice against doing so (for accurate accounting of time for debt incurred). Automatic monthly payment by credit card can be arranged upon special request.
• Credit card companies periodically refuse approval of phone transactions, as a method of verification, so please realize our double-check by phone-back is most often done as part of your protection.