For the majority of occasions, it's okay to gift flowers. Sometimes you end up tapping into taboo territory, though and your intentions are questioned. Sometimes, thoughtful actions are misinterpreted for inappropriate intentions; more so now that less and less people are lining up at flower shops. In this day and age, it's scary (and borderline detrimental) to send wrong messages.

We've come up with a list of unwritten rules about sending and receiving flowers. Now that you'll know when it's okay, and you actually have access to the best international flower delivery services to the point where you can organize a flower delivery from anywhere there are no more excuses.

Times of Grief

Except on the rare occasion that a family asks for donations instead of flowers in a time of grief, it's always appropriate to give flowers then. The Sympathy Peace Lily is a good flower for times like these. It's hard to mistake someone's intentions when they bring flowers to families grieving their loved ones.

Keep it Private

Don't put someone through having to blush at work and explain who they're seeing. It's just not mindful and not cute anymore. When you want to someone you're romantically into a bouquet, send it to their home rather than to their workplace.

Sending it to their workplace puts them in an awkward position where they are forced to publicly say they're seeing someone, talk about them, and share stories. They might not be into that just yet. It also sends the message that you're trying to mark territory. Receiving flowers at home, though, after a stressful day, is never a bad thing.

Get Well Flowers are a Grey Area

More and more hospitals are banning flowers from patients' rooms. Flowers are beautiful and surely make patients happy, but they come with the risk of causing allergies, infections, and other side effects.

Proper etiquette suggests you wait till the person is released from the hospital and then bring flowers to their home. It's otherwise bothersome because they'll know of your intention but won't be able to enjoy the beautiful bouquet you carefully chose for them. 

Sending Flowers to Members of the Opposite Sex

Don't send your coworker a dozen roses to congratulate her for getting a promotion. Don't send your boss flowers for Bosses Day either. This just sends off a very wrong message. It may be cleverer to check online which flowers are appropriate for which occasion. It's also prudent to take a second opinion before you go ahead and order the flowers.

Try to be mindful of what others might think about your gestures. We know you're trying to be kind, but you don't want your nice acts to be misconstrued for something they're not. This is just something that makes things uncomfortable for everyone.

Be Kind and Have Fun

Remember, the reason you're sending flowers is that you want to make all parts happy. If you don't get the expected reaction or your intentions are questioned, try to be mindful and kind. Remember that this person doesn't know what's on your mind, and it's okay for them to question it. Clarify your intentions and move on. Now you have no more excuses, in today's digital world you can send flower delivery in Spain tomorrow, so don't let anything get in your way.