Frequently Asked Questions

Yes. Same-day delivery is available throughout Raleigh and across the Triangle — Cary, Apex, Durham, Chapel Hill, Wake Forest, and more. Place your order before our daily cutoff (2:00 PM on weekdays and 10:00 AM on Saturdays) and your arrangement will be hand-delivered the same day. Our drivers handle each delivery personally — this isn’t a courier drop. We’ll text the recipient when we’re on our way. Visit our Delivery Information page for full zone details.

Our same-day cutoff is 2:00 PM Monday through Friday, and 10:00 AM on Saturdays. Orders placed after the cutoff will be scheduled for the next available delivery day. We recommend ordering earlier when you can — morning orders give us the most flexibility. Sundays are not a delivery day; orders placed on Sunday go out first thing Monday. Cutoff times exist to make sure every arrangement gets the attention it deserves.

We deliver throughout the Triangle: Raleigh, Cary, Morrisville, Apex, Wake Forest, Rolesville, Durham, and Chapel Hill. Delivery is $15 to most zones and $20 to Chapel Hill. If you’re unsure whether your address falls within our area, the checkout will confirm it automatically when you enter the recipient’s zip code. We do not ship nationally — every arrangement is made at our Raleigh studio and delivered by our own team.

Delivery is $15 to most zones in the Raleigh area, including Cary, Apex, Morrisville, Wake Forest, and Rolesville. Chapel Hill is $20. There are no additional service fees or surprise charges — what you see at checkout is what you pay. Tips for the delivery driver are optional and can be added during checkout; they go directly to the person who brings your flowers to the door.

We always try calling or texting the recipient first to let them know we’re arriving. If there’s no answer, we look for a safe, shaded spot — a covered porch, a building lobby, or with a neighbor or front desk. We’ll always leave a note or send a text so the recipient knows exactly where to find them. For particularly hot days or time-sensitive deliveries, we’ll reach out to you as well. We never leave flowers in direct sun.

We don’t offer exact time-slot guarantees — our drivers cover a full delivery route each day. What we can do is note a morning or afternoon preference on your order and accommodate it as much as we can. If timing really matters, add a note at checkout. For weddings and events, we coordinate timing directly as part of the consultation process.

Same-day delivery is available for orders placed before 2:00 PM. For next-day delivery, order any time today. For weddings, large events, and busy holidays like Mother’s Day or Valentine’s Day, ordering at least one to two weeks ahead is strongly recommended — these periods fill quickly. For a specific arrangement you want guaranteed for a particular date, ordering a day or two early gives us the best chance to source exactly what you have in mind.

Yes — we deliver regularly to WakeMed, Rex Hospital, UNC Rex, Duke Regional, UNC Medical Center, and other Triangle facilities. Most general patient rooms accept flowers without restriction. Important note: ICU, oncology, critical care, and NICU units typically do not allow fresh flowers due to infection control policies. If you’re unsure about the specific unit, call the hospital’s main line first. For patients in restricted units, a potted orchid is often a beautiful and policy-compliant alternative.

Absolutely. We deliver to offices, hotels, restaurants, and corporate locations throughout the Triangle regularly. At checkout, indicate that the address is commercial and include any suite number or floor — this helps our drivers navigate larger buildings. For recurring corporate florals — weekly lobby arrangements, event centerpieces — we offer a dedicated Corporate Floral Service.

We don’t offer a GPS tracking link, but we keep you informed. You’ll receive a confirmation when your order is placed and a notification once it’s been delivered. If there’s any issue with an address or timing, we reach out directly rather than let you wonder. For time-sensitive deliveries, don’t hesitate to call or email — someone will always be able to give you a real update.

Every arrangement comes in three sizes: Regular, Deluxe, and Premium. Each is the same design — same flowers, same composition — scaled up. A Deluxe is noticeably fuller and taller than a Regular; a Premium makes a real statement when it arrives. The product page for each arrangement describes what changes at every step, including approximate dimensions. For milestone occasions — a significant birthday, a wedding anniversary, a sympathy tribute — Deluxe or Premium is almost always the right choice.

Very closely, but not identically — and that’s intentional. Every arrangement is made by hand, and flowers are natural materials that vary slightly in size, color, and bloom stage from week to week. The photo represents the design’s style, color palette, and proportion. We hold every piece to a high standard before it leaves. If the specific flowers shown aren’t available at the grade we want that week, we substitute with something of equal or greater beauty that fits the design.

Occasionally, yes — but not silently and never at the expense of quality. Flowers are seasonal and sometimes a specific bloom isn’t available at the standard we require. When that happens, we substitute with a flower of comparable beauty, color, and value that fits the design. We won’t swap a premium bloom for something lesser just to fill space. If a substitution would significantly change the look of your arrangement, we’ll contact you first.

Most cut flower arrangements last 5 to 7 days with proper care — some considerably longer. Arrangements featuring carnations, chrysanthemums, or alstroemeria tend to be especially long-lasting. Arrangements with peonies, garden roses, or ranunculus are often more spectacular but a little shorter-lived. How you care for them at home makes a real difference. We include care instructions with every delivery — see the Flower Care section below for details.

Yes. During checkout, there’s a dedicated field for your personal message — up to 300 characters. Whatever you write is printed on a card and enclosed with the arrangement. The card contains your words, nothing else — no branding, no promotional language. We include a gentle reminder at checkout to sign your name; you’d be surprised how often a beautiful arrangement arrives and the recipient has no idea who it’s from.

Yes. At checkout you’ll have the option to add artisan macaroons from Le Petit Amour, a Raleigh-based baker we work with directly — available as a 6-pack or 12-pack alongside any flower order. These arrive with the arrangement in the same delivery, not a separate shipment. Additional curated gifts will be added over time. Visit our Gifts & Pairings page to see what’s available.

We source through a mix of premium domestic and international growers, depending on what’s in season and what meets our quality standards. North Carolina has a growing number of local farms producing beautiful seasonal material — dahlias, ranunculus, lisianthus, peonies — and we incorporate them whenever available. International farms in South America and the Netherlands supply year-round staples like roses and tulips. Every stem is selected at the grade we’d want to receive ourselves.

Our catalog is designed to give you beautiful, curated options without requiring you to spec out every detail — most customers find exactly what they’re looking for there. If you have something truly specific in mind, particularly for a larger occasion, reach out through the Contact page and we’ll discuss it. Custom work for weddings and events is handled through the consultation process.

White arrangements are the most universally appropriate for sympathy — white lilies, white roses, white hydrangeas, or a considered mix. Soft creams and greens feel deeply respectful without being stark. Avoid bright, celebratory colors unless you know the family specifically wants something joyful. Lilies carry a quiet, timeless dignity. For the funeral home, a large tribute arrangement is most appropriate. For the family’s home, something more intimate — a vase arrangement they can keep — tends to feel more personal.

Yes. We deliver to funeral homes throughout the Triangle, including Mitchell Funeral Home, Brown-Wynne, Montlawn Memorial Park, Hall-Wynne in Durham, Walker’s in Chapel Hill, and others. When ordering, include the funeral home’s full name and address in the recipient details, and note the name of the deceased in the delivery instructions so the arrangement reaches the right service. If the service has a specific time, mention it — we’ll coordinate accordingly.

In most standard patient rooms, yes — fresh flowers are warmly welcomed and genuinely brighten a hospital stay. We deliver to WakeMed, Rex Hospital, Duke Regional, UNC Medical Center, and other Triangle facilities regularly. Arrangements are delivered to the patient’s room or to the reception desk for forwarding. Always check with the hospital if the patient has specific sensitivities or is recovering from surgery, just to be certain before you order.

Generally no. Most hospitals restrict fresh flowers in intensive care, oncology, NICU, and other critical care units due to infection control protocols — fresh flowers can carry organisms that pose risk to immunocompromised patients. This is a hospital policy, not ours, and it applies across all facilities. For patients in restricted units, a potted orchid is an elegant, policy-compliant option — it lasts for months and is easy to care for. We’re happy to help you choose something appropriate if you let us know the situation.

It depends on the person, but a few things always work well. Garden-style arrangements with mixed flowers, color, and texture feel celebratory without being predictable. For someone who appreciates a more refined look, a monochromatic arrangement — all-white, all-blush, or deep burgundy — can be stunning. For a milestone birthday, the Premium size makes the arrival feel like an event. When in doubt, something lush, colorful, and a little unexpected is more memorable than a predictable dozen roses.

Traditional anniversary flowers are a fun starting point — roses for nearly every year, peonies for the 12th, orchids for the 28th. In practice, the most meaningful choice is whatever the recipient actually loves. If she’s always talked about ranunculus, send ranunculus. A personal note in the card matters more than any tradition. For a classic and timeless gesture, a full garden-style arrangement in whites, blushes, and creams is hard to get wrong for any anniversary milestone.

Something soft and lasting. Pastel arrangements — blush, peach, pale yellow, soft lavender — work beautifully. Avoid heavily fragrant flowers in arrangements going into a newborn’s space; strong scents can be overwhelming. A potted orchid or succulent is a lovely alternative — it lasts far longer than cut flowers, won’t wilt during the chaos of the first week home, and becomes a lasting presence in the house. Include a warm note; new parents remember the people who showed up in those early days.

Something they can keep and look at in quiet moments. Avoid purely funeral-style pieces — standing sprays belong at the service. Instead, a beautiful vase arrangement in whites and greens, or a potted peace lily or orchid, feels like a warm presence during a difficult time. Peace lilies are particularly traditional for sympathy; they’re graceful, low-maintenance, and carry quiet symbolism. Whatever you choose, a handwritten note in the card — even just a few genuine lines — matters more than the arrangement itself.

Trim about an inch off each stem at a 45-degree angle before placing them in fresh, room-temperature water. Change the water every two days and re-trim the stems each time. Remove any leaves below the waterline — they decompose and cloud the water, shortening the life of the entire arrangement. Use the flower food packet included with your delivery. Keep the arrangement away from direct sunlight, heating vents, air conditioning drafts, and fruit bowls — ripening fruit releases ethylene gas that accelerates wilting.

Room temperature or slightly lukewarm — around 100°F — works best for most cut flowers. Cold water contains more dissolved oxygen, which can create air bubbles in the stem channels and block water uptake. The exception is spring bulb flowers like tulips, daffodils, and hyacinths — these prefer cool water. When in doubt, room temperature is safe for everything. It’s a small thing that makes a real difference, especially in summer when arrangements face more heat stress.

Away from direct sunlight, heating and cooling vents, and drafts from doors and windows. A bright room with indirect light is ideal — it keeps the arrangement looking beautiful without accelerating aging. Don’t place them next to a south-facing window in summer. Also avoid placing them near a fruit bowl: ripening fruit, especially bananas and apples, releases ethylene gas that shortens vase life by a day or two. A dining table, console, or countertop away from the stove is usually perfect.

Yes, always. The small packet contains three things: sugar to feed the flowers, an acidifier to keep the water pH favorable, and a biocide to inhibit bacterial growth. Bacteria is the primary reason cut flowers die early — stems get blocked by buildup in the vase water. Mix the packet into the full volume of water specified. If you lose the packet, a simple substitute: one tablespoon of white sugar, one tablespoon of white vinegar, and one quart of room-temperature water.

Orchids are more forgiving than their reputation suggests. Water once a week — thoroughly, then let the pot drain completely. The most common mistake is overwatering; orchid roots rot quickly in standing water. Place the plant in bright indirect light, like a north- or east-facing windowsill. Avoid drafts and temperature extremes. Feed once a month with a balanced orchid fertilizer. Orchids naturally thrive in kitchens and bathrooms where humidity is higher.

Not at all. This is the most common orchid misconception. Once the flowers drop, the plant is resting, not dying. Trim the spike — the stem that held the flowers — about halfway down, just above the first visible node. Continue watering and feeding as normal. Within two to four months, most orchids produce a new spike and bloom again. With good care, a single orchid will flower multiple times over several years.

Bacteria in the water — by far. Bacterial growth blocks stems from absorbing water, and flowers effectively die of thirst even sitting in a full vase. The solution: change the water every two days, re-trim stems each time, and start with a clean vase. Beyond bacteria, heat is the second-biggest factor. Every 10 degrees of additional ambient temperature roughly halves the vase life of most cut flowers. Keep them cool, keep the water clean, and most arrangements will last longer than you expect.

Several things: the flowers themselves (peonies, garden roses, and ranunculus are significantly more expensive to source than standard carnations), the size of the arrangement, the season (prices spike around Mother’s Day, Valentine’s Day, and winter holidays as demand outpaces supply), and the complexity of the design. Our three size tiers let you choose the level that fits your occasion — every tier reflects real material and craft cost.

We accept all major credit and debit cards — Visa, Mastercard, American Express, Discover — processed securely through Stripe. Apple Pay and Google Pay are also available at checkout. We don’t accept cash, checks, or direct bank transfers for online orders. Your card is charged when you place the order, not at delivery.

Yes — there’s an optional tip field at checkout. It goes directly to the person who delivered your flowers. Our drivers handle each delivery personally and carefully. It’s entirely optional, but genuinely appreciated. If you forget at checkout, reach out and we’ll note it.

Yes. If you’d like to remain a mystery, sign the card however you choose — or leave no name at all. Your billing information is never shared with the recipient. If you’d like us to include no card whatsoever, note that in the delivery instructions. We never share sender information with recipients, for obvious reasons.

The order confirmation goes only to the person who placed the order — the recipient never sees pricing. The printed card enclosed with the arrangement contains only your personal message; there is no pricing information anywhere in the delivery.

Yes. Weddings are a meaningful part of what we do, and we approach them thoughtfully, without formula. We don’t work from preset packages. Every consultation is a real conversation about your aesthetic, your venue, the season, and what will make your day feel like you. We handle the full scope — bridal bouquet, ceremony arch, reception centerpieces, and everything in between. We take a limited number of weddings each season, so if you’re thinking about florals, reach out now. Start a conversation here.

For spring and fall weddings — the most popular seasons in the Triangle — book your florist six to twelve months out. Good florists fill fully well before the date arrives. If your wedding is six to eight weeks away and you haven’t booked yet, reach out immediately — we’ll tell you honestly whether we can accommodate you. Last-minute weddings do happen; we just need to know what we’re working with.

We start with a conversation: your vision, your venue, the season, the colors and mood you’re going for. If you have a Pinterest board or reference images, bring them — they’re helpful even if the final direction evolves somewhere different. From there, we propose a design direction, discuss scale and budget, and walk through every element that needs florals. There’s no pressure and no formula. The goal is to understand what would make your day feel exactly right.

Yes — we serve businesses in Raleigh, Cary, Durham, and the Research Triangle Park corridor with regular floral arrangements: lobby flowers, conference room centerpieces, event florals, and seasonal installations. Several companies work with us on weekly or monthly schedules. If you’re interested in recurring arrangements for your office, visit our Corporate Floral Service page.

Yes — our Christmas & Holiday Décor Service handles home and business decorating during the winter season. We assess your space, propose a design direction, source the materials, and install everything. It’s a considered approach to making your home or office feel genuinely special during the season. Bookings fill quickly for November and December — reaching out early is worthwhile.

Yes. We offer weekly, biweekly, and monthly delivery schedules — for your own home, as a standing arrangement for an office, or as a gift for someone else. Subscriptions ensure a space always has fresh flowers without having to think about it each time. Gift subscriptions — a set number of deliveries prepaid for someone you love — are available as well. Visit our Subscriptions page to set one up, or contact us to talk through your needs.

Every arrangement is made by our team at the studio in Raleigh. Design direction and quality standards are set by Anita, our creative director, whose background spans European floral training and years of work with private clients and event venues in California and the Southeast. There is no assembly line here, no formula applied to every piece. Each arrangement is built by hand, treated as its own composition, and reviewed before it leaves.

No — and that’s deliberate. Wire service florists receive orders placed on a national platform, pay a commission, and are left with a fraction of the original price to work with. What arrives is rarely what was shown online. We operate independently. When you order from Hidden Door, your arrangement is made here, by us, and delivered by us. The full value of what you spend goes into the flowers, the craft, and the delivery — not into a middleman’s platform.

We operate as a delivery-only studio and don’t have a walk-in retail shop. This is intentional: a retail storefront requires keeping pre-made inventory on hand, which means older flowers by end of day. Every arrangement is made fresh when your order comes in. If you have a specific question or are planning something larger like a wedding, reach out — we’re happy to have a real conversation.

On a national site, your order goes through a technology platform, gets farmed to whichever local florist accepts it that day, and the platform takes 25–40% off the top. The florist builds your arrangement at a discount to make their margin work. With Hidden Door, the arrangement you see in the photo is what we make — no middlemen, no commission structure driving down quality. We deliver it ourselves, which means we’re accountable for the entire experience, not just the transaction.

North Carolina has one of the most generous growing climates in the East. Spring (March–May) brings tulips, ranunculus, anemones, peonies, and garden roses. Summer (June–August) transitions into dahlias, sunflowers, zinnias, and lisianthus. Fall (September–November) offers dahlias, chrysanthemums, marigolds, and amaranth. Winter relies more on imported material — roses, orchids, amaryllis — though local greenery stays excellent year-round. We work with seasonal flowers whenever possible; they’re generally the freshest material available at any given time.

Absolutely. A significant portion of our orders come from people outside North Carolina: family members with relatives in Raleigh, corporate clients sending flowers to Triangle offices, former residents who want to send something meaningful to someone here. The process is the same as ordering locally — you enter your billing details and the recipient’s Raleigh (or Cary, Durham, Chapel Hill) address, write your card message, and we handle everything. The recipient will never know you placed the order two time zones away.