Bereavement Bouquets
When ordering funeral flowers or a plant for a grieving person, Whitney from Flowers on Featherston recommends blooms and foliage in creams, whites, and greens. If you favour colourful blooms, stick to pale pink, mauve, or yellow.
“Some people take offence if they are sent vibrantly coloured flowers when they have lost a loved one,” she says. Ask that flowers be sent in water, a ‘vox’ (a disposable vase), or already attractively arranged, with stems cut and embedded in floral foam. This means the person receiving your flowers won’t have to do anything to the arrangement once it has been delivered.
Whitney says it’s most common for sympathy arrangements to be sent to the family home, but read the death notice in the newspaper before ordering flowers. Usually a death notice will specify where flowers should be sent, or whether the family would prefer a donation to a charity.
You might think it’s best to wait to send flowers or a gift. While it’s true that families are often inundated with cards and bouquets after a bereavement, Whitney says it’s good to send flowers straightaway. “It shows that you are thinking of them in their time of grief. It also means the family can display the flowers at the funeral if they choose.”
Do you know someone who is mourning the loss of a loved one? Here are ways you can help!
Pick up the phone just to check in … Offer to run errands or get groceries … Drop off a casserole or prepare a meal … Watch their children to provide some down time … Go for a brisk walk together or do something you both enjoy … Encourage them to share their feelings … Send a card, email, or note … Remember special anniversaries and special occasions … Express care and concern … Stay connected, not once, but often!
Photo: Shutterstock.com, Sarmis
