July 30, 2025

When to Send a Sympathy Bouquet (And When It’s Totally Okay to Say It With Flowers)

From your flower friends at OLFCO in Delta, B.C.

Let’s be honest: navigating grief, your own or someone else’s, is hard. What do you say? When do you say it? Should you text? Bake banana bread? Drop off lasagna? (All of the above?)

Sometimes, the most meaningful thing you can do is send a bouquet. Sympathy flowers don’t try to fix anything. They just show up quietly, like a hug you don’t have to explain.

But if you’ve ever wondered when it’s appropriate to send one, we’ve got you covered with this gentle little guide.

1. Right After You Hear the News

Whether it’s someone you knew well or someone your friend is grieving, sending a sympathy bouquet soon after the loss is always thoughtful. It says, I’m here. I’m thinking of you. I’m not great at sad conversations but here’s something beautiful that doesn’t require eye contact.

You can send flowers to their home, or directly to the service if you know the details. Either way, it’s a small act that often means more than people can say.

We’ve created a collection of sympathy bouquets designed to speak softly. Nothing showy. Just grace, calm tones, and a little kindness in a vase:

See them here

2. After the Funeral, When Things Get Quiet

The days right after a loss can feel like a blur, full of casseroles, condolences, and coordinating logistics. But the real weight of grief often settles in after the services are over and the house gets quiet again.

Sending a bouquet a few days or even a week later can be a powerful reminder that support doesn’t vanish when the guestbook closes. No casseroles required.

3. When a Pet Crosses the Rainbow Bridge

People often downplay pet loss—but anyone who’s loved a dog, cat, or small fluffy weirdo knows that saying goodbye is absolutely heartbreaking. (We’ve cried over houseplants, so yes, pets count.)

If your friend, neighbour, or client has lost a beloved animal companion, a sweet bouquet and a kind word can go a long way. Our Pet Sympathy Bouquet + Keepsake comes with a small ceramic paw print they can keep, because pets leave paw-shaped holes in our hearts, and those deserve honoring too.

4. On the Anniversary of a Loss

Grief doesn’t come with an expiration date and anniversaries can be especially tender. If you want to show someone you still remember, sending flowers a month, a year, or even longer after the loss is always appropriate. It’s a quiet way of saying, Hey, your person still matters. You still matter too.

Bonus points if you know their loved one’s favorite flower or colour—but truly, it’s the thought that counts.

5. When You Don’t Know What Else to Do (but You Know You Want to Do Something)

There are times when you just… don’t have the words. You feel awkward. You want to help, but don’t want to make it worse. In those moments, a bouquet is a perfect stand-in.

It doesn’t need to say much. It just shows up, full of beauty, softness, and the comfort of being there.

From Delta With Love (and Fresh Flowers)

At OLFCO (https://www.olfco.ca), we’re a small flower shop with big feelings. We design sympathy bouquets for delivery across Delta, Surrey, Vancouver, and the Lower Mainland—always made with care, intention, and a whole lot of heart.

Whether it’s for a dear friend, a distant acquaintance, or someone grieving the world’s best golden retriever, we’re here to help you say what you feel… even when you don’t have the words.