Frequently Asked Questions
Deliveries
- How much does delivery cost?
- When will my flowers be delivered?
- Do you guarantee delivery times?
- Can I choose a specific time for my delivery?
- Can I track my order?
- What happens if the recipient isn't home?
- Do you deliver to hospitals, funeral homes and businesses?
- Do you offer same day delivery?
- Do you offer express delivery?
- How can I make sure my flowers arrive on time for a special occasion?
- I have received flowers but don't know who they are from
How much does delivery cost?
Delivery starts at $19. The exact price depends on how far the flowers are going, and you will see it at checkout as soon as you enter the address. Express delivery is usually twice the standard rate.
When will my flowers be delivered?
We deliver across Melbourne Monday to Saturday, and anything ordered before 1pm can go out the same day. We don't deliver on Sundays or public holidays, apart from occasions such as Mother's Day and Valentine's Day, when the days available are shown at checkout.
You choose the delivery date at checkout, so for a birthday or an anniversary you can order well ahead and know it is booked in.
Do you guarantee delivery times?
We guarantee the date you choose. If you ask for morning, afternoon or evening we will do our best to meet it, but traffic, weather and the size of the day's run can all move a delivery a little. For birthdays or anniversaries that have to land on the day, we suggest choosing a delivery date at least a day before. If timing is critical, please use our express delivery option.
Can I choose a specific time for my delivery?
We aim to have same day deliveries done by 6pm to homes and by 5pm to businesses. Those are the times we work to rather than a set delivery time. If the flowers need to be there at a particular time, add a note at checkout and we will do our best, or choose express. For an exact time we can book a priority courier for delivery before noon at an extra cost, so call us for a price.
Can I track my order?
Yes. We email you when your flowers leave the studio. Add your mobile number at checkout and the courier will also message you about thirty minutes before they reach the recipient. Once the flowers are delivered we email you again, with a photo of the delivery.
What happens if the recipient isn't home?
The courier follows the delivery notes you leave at checkout and uses their judgement about where the flowers will be safe. That might be a sheltered spot at the door, a neighbour, or the concierge or building reception. Our bag carries its own water, so they stay fresh until someone gets home, and we record where they were left, usually with a photo.
If there is nowhere safe to leave them, we contact you first. If we can't reach you, the flowers come back to our Southbank studio and we get in touch to arrange a redelivery or a collection. Orders that include wine or champagne can't be left unattended and need to be signed for by someone over 18.
Do you deliver to hospitals, funeral homes and businesses?
Yes. For a hospital, add the ward and the room or bed number. For a funeral, add the full name of the person who has passed away. For a business, add the department or the reception details. That is usually all we need to get the flowers to the right place.
For a service, see our funeral flowers Melbourne range, or sympathy flowers for the family home. Please order ahead so the flowers are in place before the service begins. We deliver to hospitals in East Melbourne, Box Hill and Heidelberg among others.
Do you offer same day delivery?
Yes. Order before 1pm, Monday to Saturday, and we deliver the same day anywhere in our Melbourne delivery area. Around Valentine's Day and Mother's Day the days fill up quickly, so order early if you can.
The same 1pm cut off applies right across the delivery area, including Carlton, Fitzroy, Collingwood and North Melbourne. It applies just the same on the western and north eastern runs through Ascot Vale, Essendon, Fairfield and Ivanhoe. The southern and bayside runs work to it as well, through Balaclava, St Kilda East, Caulfield North, Caulfield South, Moorabbin, Cheltenham, Mentone and Black Rock.
Do you offer express delivery?
Yes. Express puts your order at the front of the queue and delivers it within a three hour window, for an extra fee. It is handy for a birthday breakfast, a morning meeting or a surprise at lunch.
How can I make sure my flowers arrive on time for a special occasion?
Order a day or two ahead if you can, or choose express for a three hour window. Give us the full address and a phone number, and put any gate codes or concierge details in the delivery notes.
I have received flowers but don't know who they are from
Call or email the studio and we will ask the sender whether they are happy for us to pass on their name. We can't share who sent them without their permission.
Ordering
- How do I place an order on your website?
- Can I place an order over the phone?
- Can I change my order after it's placed?
- What happens if I need to cancel my order?
- What delivery instructions should I include?
- What happens if I give the wrong delivery details?
- Can I place an anonymous order?
How do I place an order on your website?
Choose an arrangement and a size, add any gifts, then fill in the delivery details and your card message and pay. If you get stuck, call us and we will walk you through it.
Can I place an order over the phone?
Yes. Call (03) 9510 8800 during business hours and one of the team will take your order.
Can I change my order after it's placed?
Usually, yes. Until your flowers are being designed or have left the studio, we can change the address, the card message or even the flowers. Get in touch as soon as you can.
What happens if I need to cancel my order?
If your order hasn't been prepared or sent yet, we can cancel it and refund you in full. Once the flowers have been made or are with the driver, cancelling generally isn't possible. After delivery, you can bring an arrangement back to our Southbank studio within 10 days if you change your mind. Our refund policy has the full detail.
What delivery instructions should I include?
The more we know about the address, the smoother the delivery. For a business, give us the business name and tell us whether the flowers should go to reception, a loading dock or the building concierge. For a home, mention any locked gates or secure apartment entries, because the courier needs to reach the front door. For a hospital, give us the hospital name, the ward and the bed number if you have it.
What happens if I give the wrong delivery details?
Tell us straight away. If the flowers haven't left, we will fix the details, and if they are already on the road we will try to redirect them. If they can't be delivered because the details were wrong, they come back to our studio, and we can redeliver them to the right address at the normal delivery rate for that address, or you can collect them from us.
Can I place an anonymous order?
Yes. Write Anonymous in the sender field or the order notes. We will never tell the recipient who sent the flowers unless you say we can, or the law requires it.
Payment & Security
- Is it safe to use my credit card online?
- Which payment methods do you accept?
- What happens if my payment fails?
Is it safe to use my credit card online?
Yes. Payments are protected by SSL encryption, and your card details are handled by Shopify and our payment providers, never stored on our own systems.
Which payment methods do you accept?
Visa, Mastercard, American Express and Afterpay. If you need to pay another way, give us a call.
What happens if my payment fails?
Check the card number, the expiry date and that there is enough available on the card, then try again. If it still won't go through, call us and we will help.
Flower Care & Maintenance
- How should I care for my flowers?
- Why are some flowers still in bud?
- Do you provide care instructions with each delivery?
- What should I do if my flowers don't look fresh when they arrive?
How should I care for my flowers?
Your flowers arrive in our signature bag with water already in the base, so there is no rush to find a vase. When you are ready, our guide takes you through trimming the stems, changing the water and what to expect as each variety opens.
Flower Care for Delivered Bouquets
If you are ever worried about the quality of your flowers, contact the studio within 10 days of delivery with a photo and we will sort it out.
Why are some flowers still in bud?
Some varieties travel better and last longer if they arrive closed. They open over the next few days, so you get to watch the arrangement change.
Do you provide care instructions with each delivery?
Yes. Every bouquet comes with a care card.
What should I do if my flowers don't look fresh when they arrive?
Contact us within 10 days of delivery with your order number and a photo if you can. You don't need to return anything. We stand behind every arrangement and will offer replacement flowers, store credit or a refund. Our refund policy sets it all out.
About Our Flowers
- How fresh are your flowers?
- Will my arrangement look like the photo?
- Do you offer add on gifts?
- Where do your flowers come from?
How fresh are your flowers?
Fresh flowers come in from the Melbourne market daily, and many stems are sent in bud so they last longer. With a little care most arrangements last five to seven days, and often well beyond that.
Will my arrangement look like the photo?
Yes. We make your arrangement as it is pictured, in style, size and colour palette. Flowers are seasonal, so if a bloom isn't available we will call you for permission before using flowers of equal or greater value in the same style and colours.
Do you offer add on gifts?
Yes. At checkout you can add chocolates, teddy bears, balloons or something from our wines and champagnes.
Customisation & Personalisation
- Can I include a personal message with my flower delivery?
- Can I customise an arrangement?
- Do you offer flower subscriptions?
- I can't find what I'm looking for. Can you make something custom?
Can I include a personal message with my flower delivery?
Yes. Put as many names on the card as you like, and write the message long or short. Do bear in mind it is a standard greeting card, so a long message may run onto a second card. We print what you write.
Can I customise an arrangement?
Yes. Choose a larger size, tell us any colour preferences in the order notes, and add gifts if you like. For anything more than that, call us and we will quote you.
Do you offer flower subscriptions?
Yes. We deliver weekly, fortnightly or monthly to homes and businesses, and you can pause or change your plan at any time.
I can't find what I'm looking for. Can you make something custom?
Yes. Tell our florists your budget, the flowers and colours you like and what the occasion is, and we will design something just for you.
Special Occasions & Corporate Services
Do you offer wedding and event flowers?
Yes. Start on our Weddings page, or contact our wedding coordinator to book a consultation. We suggest booking a few weeks ahead.
Do you offer corporate services?
Yes. We look after businesses with regular office flowers and plants, client gifts and thank you arrangements, event centrepieces, branded arrangements and staff recognition. Call the studio and ask for the corporate team to talk about volume pricing and a plan that suits you.
Sustainability & Sourcing
- Where do your flowers come from?
- What sustainability practices do you follow?
- Do you offer plastic free packaging?
Where do your flowers come from?
Most come from Australian growers. The rest come from international farms that meet strict ethical and environmental standards.
What sustainability practices do you follow?
We buy local and seasonal wherever we can, we give unused and post event flowers to hospitals, and we plan our delivery runs to keep the kilometres down.
Do you offer plastic free packaging?
Yes. Call us when you order and ask for eco friendly packaging.
Company & Support
- Where are you located?
- What are your business hours?
- Are you a relay service or a call centre?
- Why choose Kate Hill Flowers?
- How can I contact customer service?
- What if I have a problem with my order?
Where are you located?
Our studio and shop are at 440 City Road, Southbank VIC 3006, and every order is designed and sent from there.
What are your business hours?
Weekdays 9am to 5pm, and Saturdays 9am to 2pm. We are closed on Sundays and public holidays.
Are you a relay service or a call centre?
No. We are a locally owned and operated Melbourne florist. Every arrangement is designed to order by our own florists at the Southbank studio, and we never pass your order on to another florist.
Why choose Kate Hill Flowers?
Kate and the team have designed flowers in Melbourne since 2007. Our buyers choose the flowers at the Melbourne market, every arrangement is designed in our Southbank studio, and when you call, a florist answers. What you see on the site is what we deliver, and if something isn't right, we fix it.
How can I contact customer service?
Call us on (03) 9510 8800 on weekdays from 9am to 5pm and on Saturdays from 9am to 2pm, email studio@katehillflowers.com.au, or come and see us at 440 City Road, Southbank.
What if I have a problem with my order?
Contact us straight away. For anything to do with quality, let us know within 10 days of delivery, ideally with a photo, and we will replace the flowers, give you store credit or refund you.