Sending flowers to Christchurch

Christchurch hospitals: read this before you send

The rules in Christchurch are stricter than in many other New Zealand cities, so it pays to check where the person is staying.

• Christchurch Hospital and Christchurch Women's Hospital: Health New Zealand states that flowers are not permitted in the wards or other areas of either hospital. The hospital gift shops sell flower vouchers so flowers can be delivered when the person goes home.
• Burwood Hospital: flowers and potted plants are not allowed in the admitting unit, the post-anaesthetic care unit and recovery unit, or the progressive care unit. For Ward FG (spinal unit) and Ward CG (brain injury), check with the ward before sending.
• Hillmorton Hospital: there is no facility-specific rule published. The former Canterbury DHB has advised that flowers are not possible in some hospital areas and asked people to check first, so check with the ward before sending.

The city also has two private hospitals, St George's Hospital and Southern Cross Christchurch Hospital. We have no published flower rules for them, so ring ahead. For a patient in one of the main public hospitals, a delivery to their home once they are discharged is usually the kinder choice.

Roses, daffodils and the Garden City

The Christchurch Botanic Gardens were founded in 1863 and cover 21 hectares beside the loop of the Avon River next to Hagley Park. The Central Rose Garden has 104 beds of climbing, standard and Hybrid Tea roses, and a separate Heritage Rose Garden holds varieties grown from the 18th to the early 20th century. The gardens also have a large daffodil lawn, and the first Daffodil Sunday was held there in 1938.

Across town in Fendalton, Mona Vale is a 4-hectare park on the Avon with a rose garden, lily pond, fernery, rhododendrons and azaleas. If the person you are sending to loves these places, roses or a spring bunch of daffodils make a gift with a local story behind it. Our guide to flowers in season shows what is at its best each month.

Weather to think about: the nor'wester and frosty nights

The nor'wester, a hot föhn wind, is a well-known feature of Christchurch weather, and it can wilt a bouquet left on a doorstep. In winter the city centre has nights below 0 °C about 23 times a year, and the airport area around 50. A few practical points:

• Give a phone number for the recipient so the florist can arrange a handover rather than leaving flowers outside.
• On a nor'west day, ask the recipient to put the flowers in water and away from sun as soon as possible.
• Our flower care guide explains how to keep a bouquet fresh for longer.

Sympathy flowers for Christchurch services

Christchurch has several cemeteries, including Ruru Lawn Cemetery, Memorial Park Cemetery, Waimairi Cemetery, Linwood Cemetery and Bromley Cemetery. Crematoria in the city include Harewood Memorial Gardens & Crematorium, Canterbury Memorial Gardens & Crematorium (Woodlawn) and the Christchurch Crematorium at Wigram.

For a funeral, send flowers to the funeral director or the venue rather than to the cemetery, and include the full name of the person who has died and the date of the service. Our funeral flower etiquette guide covers wording and what to send.

Places flowers often go in Christchurch

Hospitals

• Christchurch Hospital
• Christchurch Women's Hospital
• Burwood Hospital
• Hillmorton Hospital
• St George's Hospital
• Southern Cross Christchurch Hospital

Cemeteries

• Ruru Lawn Cemetery
• Memorial Park Cemetery
• Waimairi Cemetery
• Linwood Cemetery
• Bromley Cemetery
• Harewood Memorial Gardens & Crematorium
• Canterbury Memorial Gardens & Crematorium (Woodlawn)
• Christchurch Crematorium, Wigram

Put the recipient’s ward, room or the funeral director’s name on the order so the florist can find them.