When sending flowers to someone, it's one of the rare occassions when you don't actually see the exact product you're purchasing.
However, there are some things you can do to make sure that mom is happy with the delivery that winds up on her doorstep.
First, order bouquets by color rather than flower type. That way, the designers are free to choose from the best stems available on any given day, provided they fall in the given color scheme.
"If we get good color direction, we can make sure that you get the wow factor," said Karen Akin, owner of Apples to Zinnias of Dallas.
Many florists offer a 24-hour guarantee on arrangements, but say most will last much longer if the recipient simply changes the water every day.
"We have people tell us all the time our flowers last for two weeks even, depending on the flowers. But it's because we try and give good instruction about changing the water," said Akin.
Finally, florists said to order flowers from a vendor you know and trust.
"If you're just calling someone in a city that you don't know, you don't exactly know what you're going to get. However, if you know Apples to Zinnia's, you know our work, you know our reputation, and you know you'll get the quality and the look that you want," said Akin.
Finally, in the digital age, why not go a step further than the typical thank you call or note? Take a picture of the flowers you received and send a photo and text to the person who sent them so they can see the arrangement, too.
