Bouquets in Mumbai

Bouquets in Mumbai: roses and lilies for a person, not for the altar

At Ganeshotsav, Mumbai offers Ganesha red hibiscus known as jaswand, marigolds, lotus, jasmine and durva grass: flowers set on the altar, not handed to a guest. Bouquets in Mumbai meant for a person are built from different stems, and the choice comes down to three things: which flowers go in, how the bouquet is wrapped, and how large it is. The city's festival calendar and its weather both shape what suits a given week, and both are covered on the the city's festival year and weather page.

Temple flowers aside: roses, lilies and hydrangea for a Mumbai gift

The jaswand and marigolds mentioned above stay on the altar; a bouquet in Mumbai given to a person draws on a different set of stems. The catalogue holds French roses, white-and-pink roses, red and white roses, lilies, gerberas, hydrangea, lisianthus and peony roses, and a buyer can start either from the flower or from the colour the bouquet should carry.

White on its own reads differently here: in India a white bouquet is more often chosen for condolence, so a cheerful gift usually sets white beside pink rather than alone, as in the eleven white and pink roses bouquet. Lilies and gerberas add colour, and hydrangea gives a bouquet more volume when it needs to read as a single bright shape from across a room.

Every bouquet in the section is made to order, and the florist buys the stems only once the order is paid. That keeps the mix tied to what is in stock on the day rather than to a fixed recipe written down in advance.

Kraft paper wraps closely around a hand-tied bunch that will be carried and handed over, and a bag suits the same kind of bouquet. A bouquet in a planter is built to stand on its own, which matters in a flat where there is no vase waiting.

From June to September Mumbai gets most of its rain for the year, so a bouquet travelling through those months needs wrapping sturdy enough to keep the stems dry on the way.

Before the flowers go into a vase, the paper comes off and each stem is cut at an angle. Changing the water every day or two, and keeping the vase away from direct sun and ripe fruit, help the bouquet last longer.

Most orders are handed over the same day they are placed, and the time shown on each bouquet's page is the one to check rather than a general rule. The florist photographs the bouquet before it is sent out, and the sender can ask for changes before the courier leaves. Bouquet delivery in Mumbai is free within the city centre; other zones are listed on the delivery page.

A compliment bouquet works as a small, easy gesture, the sort of thing brought along rather than planned around. Romantic and delicate arrangements suit someone close, built from fewer, softer stems than a bouquet meant to be noticed from across a room.

A business bouquet is sized for a desk rather than a hand, which matters at an office address like Nariman Point, BKC or Lower Parel. Large and giant bouquets belong at a bigger family occasion, where one arrangement has to hold its own on a table rather than sit beside several others.

If nothing in the section fits, the florist can be told the occasion and the budget directly in chat, or sent a photo for the Bouquet from Your Photo option. A manager replies with a few choices, photos and prices included, before any payment is taken.

Choosing where to start comes down to format: kraft paper for a bouquet that will be carried and handed over, a bouquet in a planter for a flat with no vase, and giant bouquets for an occasion big enough to need one.