What are you ordering? Flower bouquets have different names, depending on the style... these are the most common.

Arrangement - The flowers will be arranged for you in floral foam, in a container such as a vase or basket.

This is a good option for busy or elderly recipients, as the arrangement needs no work and can be displayed just as it is.

For hospital patients the British Florists Association specifically recommends an arrangement of flowers in a container of floral foam rather than a bunch of flowers. This negates the need for busy hospital staff to have to arrange bunches of flowers into a vase of water, whilst still providing good cheer to the patient. Arrangements can be "front facing", which means they are designed to be viewed from the front, perhaps displayed on a mantlepiece or sideboard, or "all round" which is more suitable to be placed in the centre of a table to be viewed from any side.

Flat-pack Bouquet - This is the traditional sheaf of flowers, which is making a resurgence in popularity in recent years after being perceived as "old fashioned". These bouquets are generally excellent value for money. The flowers will be backed with tissue or cellophane, and the recipient needs to arrange these in a vase. This style is generally very popular with female recipients.

Hand-Tied - These bouquets are already arranged, and tied in the middle, presented surrounded in cellophane. They will often be sold "aqua pack", which means there will be a bubble of water around the stems of the arrangement (a good option if the recipient might not be able to put the flowers in water right away, such as if they are at work). If you want to ensure the bouquet definitely is in water, just ask your florist. This bouquet can simply be put in a vase as it is - there is no real need to untie the bouquet.

Funeral Spray - These are usually quite large pieces, intricately made by arranging flowers in a floral foam base, and designed to sit atop a coffin. These come in single-ended and double-ended varieties, with the single-ended being similar in shape to a teardrop, and double-ended similar in shape to a diamond. Funeral tributes, which may spell out a name, may come in any variety of shapes. Often, larger items are not suitable to send to the home and should be sent directly to the funeral home. Your local florist will be able to help you personally with your choice of funeral flowers.