Get Well Soon Flowers: What to Send to Home vs Hospital

By the Farida Floral design team. Farida Floral is a mother-daughter luxury florist in Fairfax, VA, hand-arranging flowers for Northern Virginia, DC and Maryland since 2017.

When someone you care about is recovering, flowers are one of the few gifts that work at a distance. But the right choice depends heavily on where the recipient is. What brightens a living room for two weeks can be turned away at a hospital ward. Here is how we guide customers through it, plus what the research actually says flowers do for someone who is unwell.

Home vs hospital: the quick answer

What flowers actually do for recovery: the research

This is not just sentiment. In a randomized controlled trial of 90 surgical patients, researchers Park and Mattson found that patients recovering in rooms with live plants had significantly lower systolic blood pressure and lower ratings of pain, anxiety and fatigue than patients in identical rooms without them. The authors called greenery a "noninvasive, inexpensive, and effective complementary medicine for surgical patients."

The emotional effect is even better documented. In a Rutgers study across three experiments, 100% of people who received flowers responded with a genuine Duchenne smile, and recipients still reported elevated mood three days later. In the same research, older adults who received flowers showed reduced depression scores and even improved episodic memory. If you have ever wondered whether flowers "do anything," the answer from the data is: measurably, yes.

If they're in the hospital: 4 rules

• Call the ward before ordering. Intensive care and some surgical and oncology units restrict or prohibit flowers entirely. One phone call saves the gift.
• Keep it compact and self-contained. A small box arrangement or petite vase design fits a bedside table and needs zero care from staff.
• Go easy on fragrance. Recovering patients and roommates can be scent-sensitive. Roses, ranunculus and hydrangea give beauty without heavy perfume; skip oriental lilies.
• Address it precisely. Full patient name, hospital, ward and room number. Include the recipient's phone number so the driver can coordinate with the front desk.

If they're recovering at home

Home is where flowers earn their keep: the recipient sees them dozens of times a day, and the Rutgers finding about mood lasting for days applies in full. A garden-style mix in bright, optimistic tones is our most-sent get-well design. If pets share the house, tell us; lilies are toxic to cats, and we will design around them.

What to write on the card

Short beats poetic. Six lines our customers use:

• Thinking of you every day. Rest up.
• A little sunshine for your room. Feel better soon.
• Get well soon. Dinner is on us when you are back on your feet.
• Sending you our love and a speedy recovery.
• The office is not the same without you. Heal fast.
• No need to reply. Just get better.

When to send

Sooner is better than perfectly timed. For hospital stays, send once you know the ward allows flowers and the stay will last a few more days; for short stays, send to their home so the flowers greet them on arrival. For at-home recovery, day one or two is ideal, when the initial wave of visitors fades and the days get long.

FAQ

Can I send flowers to a patient at Inova Fairfax or other DMV hospitals?

Usually yes, outside intensive care. Call the ward to confirm, then order with the patient's full name, ward and room number. We deliver to hospitals across Fairfax, Northern Virginia, DC and Maryland.

What are the best get well flowers?

Bright garden mixes with roses, ranunculus and hydrangea: cheerful, low-fragrance and long-lasting. For hospital rooms, choose a compact arrangement in its own container.

What flowers should I avoid sending someone who is sick?

Heavily scented blooms like oriental lilies for hospital rooms, anything oversized for a bedside table, and lilies of any kind if the recipient has cats.

Can you deliver get well flowers the same day?

Yes. Order by 2:00 PM EST and we hand-deliver the same day across Fairfax, Northern Virginia, DC and Maryland. Read more on what flowers do for mood, or see which colors say what.