Sending flowers to Nelson Hospital

Nelson Hospital on Tipahi Street, Nelson South, is a public hospital in the Nelson Marlborough district. Health NZ's current page for the hospital is silent on flowers, but the former Nelson Marlborough District Health Board set out a rule for all its hospitals that is still useful as a guide.

Choose get-well flowers

Order by 2 pm on weekdays (11 am Saturdays) for same-day delivery in many areas

Ward rules quoted from the hospital
Name and ward on the card
Local florists deliver the flowers

Flowers are restricted in some areas

Flowers are fine on general wards, but patients who are immunocompromised or in isolation, and patients in ICU/HDU/IMCU/SCBU (special care baby unit), should not receive flowers. Source: former Nelson Marlborough DHB district-wide visiting policy, archived Dec 2023; the current Health NZ page says nothing about flowers.

“Gifts, Flowers and Personal items Personal items such as books, pens, and toiletries can be brought in but must not be shared with other patients, whānau or staff. Patients who are immunocompromised, in isolation or in our ICU/HDU/IMCU/SCBU areas should not receive flowers.”

Who should not receive flowers

The district's visiting policy, archived in December 2023, has stated: "Patients who are immunocompromised, in isolation or in our ICU/HDU/IMCU/SCBU areas should not receive flowers." In plain terms, that covers:

intensive care (ICU), high dependency (HDU) and intermediate care (IMCU)
the special care baby unit (SCBU)
anyone in isolation
patients who are immunocompromised

Flowers were otherwise fine on general wards. Because this is an older district-wide page, check with the ward before sending.

Gifts and personal items

The same policy said personal items such as books, pens and toiletries can be brought in, but must not be shared with other patients, whānau or staff. A book or a favourite hand cream can be a good companion gift to flowers, or a stand-in if flowers are not allowed.

Visiting Nelson Hospital

Visiting hours are 2:30pm to 8pm, 7 days a week. The hospital's number is 03 546 1800.

When you phone, ask whether the patient is on a general ward and whether flowers are fine for them in particular. If the ward says yes, put the patient's full name and ward on the order, choose a compact arrangement that does not need a vase, and avoid heavily scented blooms in shared rooms.

Delivery in and around Nelson

For deliveries to homes in the city, see our Nelson flower delivery page. Across the Marlborough side of the old district, Wairau Hospital in Blenheim follows the same policy. Patients from Golden Bay may be cared for at the Golden Bay Community Health Centre.

Parking and the main entrance

Health NZ lists the main entrance on Tipahi Street, Nelson South. If you are visiting in person, these details may save you a lap of the grounds:

The main car park is reached from the Tipahi Street entrance, with more parking from Franklyn Street.
Public parking is also available at the Braemar campus on Waimea Road.
Mobility parking spaces are available outside most main entrances.
A free shuttle buggy runs from the car parks to the main entrances, with buggy stops marked on the hospital map.

The emergency drop-off bay is on Waimea Road.

What is on site

Health NZ says the hospital offers maternity, mental health, cardiology, oncology, paediatrics and physiotherapy, plus more than 40 other specialties. Because the old district rule covers patients who are immunocompromised, it is worth asking the ward whether the person you are sending to falls into that group, whatever ward they are on.

The hospital café serves hot meals, snacks and drinks, from 7am to 5pm on weekdays and 8am to 3pm at weekends, and caters for gluten-free and vegetarian diets. Bus routes 1, 3, 5 and 6 serve the hospital.

Address for the order

Tipahi Street, Nelson South, Nelson, 7010
Nelson
Phone 03 546 1800

Write the patient’s full name and ward on the card and the order. Rules checked 6 November 2026; hospitals change their rules, so call the ward if you are unsure.