Giving flowers

Which flowers to give to say thank you: colour, size and what to write on the card

To say thank you, give a light, colourful bouquet rather than red roses: yellow, orange, white and green say thanks without ambiguity. Size S or M is enough. After a dinner, have the flowers delivered the next day rather than bringing them: your host will not have to hunt for a vase while guests are arriving.

By Hanaé7 min read…

Bouquet of yellow and orange gerberas, white roses and daisies, in kraft paper

Key takeaways

  • To say thank you, choose a colourful, country-style bouquet: yellow, orange, white and green. Avoid red roses, which say too much.
  • Size S or M is enough: a very large bouquet can feel awkward for a simple thank-you.
  • Invited to dinner? Have the flowers delivered that afternoon or the next day, rather than bringing them.
  • At Hanaé, the 8 card messages on our orders that contain a thank-you all came with an S or M bouquet, none with an L (measured on 26 October 2026, across 109 messages).

Which flowers to give to say thank you

To say thank you, the safest choice is a light, colourful bouquet: gerberas, sunflowers, ranunculus, daisies, cosmos or alstroemerias. These flowers express gratitude and good cheer without hinting at anything else. Avoid two things: red roses, which speak of love and feel awkward coming from a colleague or a neighbour, and potted chrysanthemums, which the French associate with All Saints’ Day and graves. Mixed with other flowers in a bouquet, white chrysanthemums are perfectly fine. If you know the person’s favourite flower, it trumps all of these rules.

Which colour says thank you

Yellow is the traditional colour of gratitude and friendship; orange says enthusiasm, white and green say restraint. A yellow and white mix suits almost anyone, from the neighbour who looked after your cat to the colleague who covered for you. Pale pink works for a close friend or an older person. Keep deep red for romance. Our guide to flower colour meanings covers each shade.

Flower colour meanings

What size of bouquet for a thank-you

A thank-you comes in size S or M. A very large bouquet can embarrass the person, especially for a favour between neighbours or colleagues: they will feel they owe you in turn. It is also what our customers do. Of the 109 card messages on our orders as of 26 October 2026, 8 contain a thank-you, and those 8 bouquets were all size S or M, none L. The sample is small, but the pattern is clear. Keep the large size for an exceptional thank-you, a whole team or help that lasted months.

How much does a bouquet cost in Paris

Invited to dinner · bring the flowers or have them delivered

The custom in France is not to turn up to dinner holding a bouquet: your host would have to find a vase and trim the stems while other guests arrive and the main course is in the oven. Instead, have the flowers delivered that afternoon with a note saying “See you tonight”, or the next day with thanks for the evening. The second option has an advantage: they enjoy the bouquet once the house is tidy again. If you want to bring something on the night, choose a bouquet already in a vase, or a plant.

Thanking a colleague, a team or carers

At the office, have the flowers delivered to reception in the person’s name between 10am and noon, when they are sure to be in; a colourful size M bouquet sits easily on a shared desk. For a whole team, one large bouquet for the common room beats several small ones. To thank a hospital team, check first that the ward accepts flowers: many do not. Our guides to office and hospital delivery give the details.

Sending flowers to someone at work

What to write on a thank-you card

A good thank-you says exactly what for. “Thank you for Saturday’s dinner, we are still talking about it” beats “Thanks for everything”. Name the favour, add a line on what it changed for you, and sign with your first name. Three examples: “Thank you for looking after Lulu while we were away, she does not want to come home”, “Thank you for your help on the file, I could not have done it without you”, “Thank you for these two weeks of care, you were wonderful”. At Hanaé, the card is included, up to 400 characters, copied out by hand.

What to write on a flower card

Sending a thank-you bouquet today in Paris

A thank-you sent the day after a dinner or a favour lands better than one sent a week later. Ordered before 8pm, the bouquet is delivered the same day in Paris. Express delivers within 1 hour, at €18, available to order from 10am to 8pm. The courier photographs the hand-over: you know your flowers have arrived, even if the person has not written to you yet.

Thank-you flowers delivered in Paris

Frequently asked questions

What flowers should you give to thank someone?

A light, colourful bouquet: gerberas, sunflowers, ranunculus, daisies or cosmos, in yellow, orange, white and green. Avoid red roses, which are for love, and potted chrysanthemums, linked to All Saints’ Day in France.

What colour of flowers says thank you?

Yellow, the traditional colour of gratitude and friendship. A yellow and white mix suits almost anyone; pale pink works for a close friend.

Should you bring flowers when invited to dinner in France?

The custom is rather to have them delivered that afternoon or the next day, so your host does not have to find a vase while guests are arriving.

What size of bouquet for a thank-you?

Size S or M. A very large bouquet can feel awkward for a favour between neighbours or colleagues; keep the large size for a team or an exceptional thank-you.

What should you write on a thank-you card with flowers?

Say exactly what you are thanking them for, add what it changed for you, and sign with your first name. “Thank you for Saturday’s dinner, we are still talking about it” beats “Thanks for everything”.

By Hanaé7 min read

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To say thank you without overdoing it.

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