A bouquet makes for a wonderful fifteen-minute present. But once those fifteen minutes pass, it ends up sitting on somebody’s kitchen counter, wilting away slowly until it dies. With a subscription, you get one delivery one day, another one the next month, and again the following month. The memory of who sent the delivery each month—that’s your real present.
This page is aimed at the gift giver, not the recipient. Here we talk about how the gift giving process works, what types of subscriptions are most popular for which events, and all the nitty gritty details that turn a good idea into a great gift or a poor one.
How gift subscriptions work, end to end
Five things will happen as soon as you give a subscription gift.
They occur in this order:
1. You make the choice. Choose the kind of product, its duration (3, 6, or 12 months), and the frequency of delivery (weekly, bi-weekly, or monthly).
2. You decide whether to tell the recipient about it or not. Some subscribers like surprises; others prefer choosing their color scheme and delivery time. Let us know how to handle this situation for you.
3. You compose the gift note. Your message is limited to 200 characters and printed together with the first delivery. We don’t print any prices or information regarding the subscription itself.
4. We coordinate everything with your subscriber. If a surprise was requested, we will deliver the gifts on the agreed date and let the subscriber know about it. If the choice was preferred, we will contact the subscriber prior to the first delivery and ask about their preferences.
5. Deliveries follow on schedule. All subsequent deliveries according to the schedule agreed upon for the entire period of the gift. With the first delivery, we leave your name written on the gift card. From the second delivery, it is all plain sailing for the subscriber.
Should the recipient be surprised, or should they choose?
It is absolutely the biggest question to ask when gifting an orchid subscription, but surprisingly enough, it’s also the one that people get wrong the most. Here are the guidelines to follow:
Selecting surprise delivery if…
You have a good grasp of the recipient’s interior environment and their tastes in decor. You know the timings of their life and are sure there will be no problem with the plant being delivered at the right time (either they will be home or someone will accept the delivery). Surprises work great when it comes to phalaenopsis because the color and variety could match the interior.
Selection of recipient consultation if…
You don’t have any knowledge about the recipient’s lifestyle or are unsure about their schedule. You don’t know what colors suit their preferences. You never been to their place. Just a short message on WhatsApp saying “Your friend got you a six-month orchid subscription, here are your choices to make” will take no more than 90 seconds and avoid possible problems.
A Note on Phalaenopsis
Orchid subscription is the only type of subscription where surprises work in almost all cases. The plant will be delivered already blooming and decorating; the place for placing is obvious, too (usually a single plant would fit on a table or desk). Also, phalaenopsis will be flowering for six-eight weeks, and it doesn’t matter whether it receives proper care or not.
Which subscription suits which occasion
Housewarming
Live plant subscription, starter, three to six months. Live plants help create a feeling of belonging to the home which flowers cannot deliver, and three-monthly subscription cycle allows enough time for the recipient to get adjusted between cycles. Phalaenopsis is an excellent second choice if you know that they’re a flower enthusiast.
Retirement, milestone birthdays, anniversaries
Arranged Subscription, six or twelve months. Timing is important in this case; this is a subscription gift telling them that you want them to think about you often and a three-month subscription sends a message contradictory to this. Premium/Statement size if you know that they have room for it.
New parents, recent home, illness recovery
Phalaenopsis subscription, three months. Simple logic here: new parents do not have time to change water every day, recovering people would be annoyed at seeing the flowers wilting in their room and someone going through some transitional period of life prefers a flower requiring minimum attention. Most underrated subscription type in Singapore.
Creative, flower-loving friends and relatives
Loose stalks subscription, three or six months. The arrangement is the present itself; the gift here is the ongoing creative project you give to someone. Good choice if you are sure that the recipient will take advantage of it and has both time and favorite vase to work with on weekends.
Corporate gifts, client gifts, partner appreciation
Phalaenopsis subscription is a very strong choice for corporate gifts. You give them beautiful flowers from day one and almost no effort on maintenance from their side. Rotation means that during the whole period of time you’re providing them with a gift twice, four or six times a year.
The practical details
When does billing happen?
The full duration is paid upfront when you place the gift order. The recipient never sees a charge or any payment information.
What if the recipient doesn’t want it?
Rare but it happens — usually because the recipient is moving overseas or has an unexpected life change. Contact us within seven days of the first delivery and we’ll convert the remaining duration into a credit you can use yourself or transfer to another recipient. We don’t refund cash on gift orders, but we don’t let gifts go to waste either.
Can I extend the gift later?
Yes. Tell us before the final delivery and we’ll extend by another three, six, or twelve months. Most recipients say nothing when an extension lands — they just smile when the next delivery arrives.
Multiple recipients on one order?
Common for corporate gifting and family occasions like Mother’s Day. We handle bulk gift orders with consolidated billing and individual gift cards. Get in touch directly for groups of five or more — there’s some pricing flexibility.
What if I want to be there when the first delivery arrives?
Tell us the date and time. We’ll coordinate the delivery window so you can be present, or so the recipient is alone, depending on what you want.