For a Girl in Manchester

Flowers for a girl: sized for a child's hands

What separates a child's bouquet from an adult one is not colour but dimensions. She will hold it, carry it and show it around, so weight and stem length count for more than palette.

The second question is the mix. Gifts for children leave out varieties with toxic parts, and thorns come off completely. A florist will do that on request, but the request has to be made.

Rough guide by age

• Preschool. A very small bouquet, short stems, sturdy heads, little decoration.
• Early school years. Mid size, bright combinations, often paired with balloons or something sweet.
• Middle school. Taste appears, and asking what she likes becomes worthwhile.
• Later years. Adult rules apply: vase life, fragrance, convenient delivery.

Pastels do not suit everyone. Plenty of children pick saturated colour, and there is no reason to impose soft shades simply because they are conventional.

Occasions

Birthdays, the start and end of the school year, a performance, a concert, a competition, a graduation, recovery after illness.

Flowers for a specific achievement work better than a calendar greeting. They attach to the event and come back to mind with it years later.

A performance or a contest is a case of its own, because the handover happens in front of an audience. The overall silhouette matters there; fine detail is invisible from the third row.

The teenage years change the rules. A handover in front of classmates can embarrass rather than please, so a delivery to the house or after lessons is often the better plan.

A child's bouquet has succeeded when she carries it herself and never asks an adult to hold it.

Arranging delivery

Until the teenage years a parent takes delivery. Day, hour and place are agreed with them, otherwise the surprise becomes an attempt that never happened.

A vase is not guaranteed at home, and even less so in a child's room. An arrangement in its own container removes the problem and will not tip over on a desk.

Choose plain, strong wrapping. Firm paper survives the journey better than netting and ribbon, and small decorative pieces come off in a child's hands within minutes.

For a delivery across Manchester to a school or a studio, give the child's name, the class or group, and an adult phone number. Without those the courier stays at the entrance and the flowers wait until lessons end.

JFLOO lists flowers for a girl among its sections for close recipients. Work from size and a safe mix. They define a good children's bouquet more reliably than the shade does.