9 best letterbox flowers to gift to loved ones

Flowerfix specialises in what it calls "wild and quirky" bouquets, which we love, as there are plenty of different colours in the bouquet, plus drama from different varieties, shapes and greenery.

Coming in a millennial pink box, this bouquet is from the brand's florist's pick range and is a pet-friendly design, meaning lilies have been omitted. The bouquet changes every week, so the image on the brand’s website didn't quite match the bouquet we received. However, we loved the colours – full of peachy tones – and we really liked how easy it was to recreate the style of the brand's flower arranging.

Our bouquet came with roses, pinky lisianthus (eustoma), spray roses, snapdragons (adding height and drama), dainty limonium, pink and yellow wax flowers and some pistache foliage. Overall, we found this to be the best-looking bouquet on test.

We did appreciate that the stems came in two bunches, each with a little bag of special liquid to keep them hydrated (they arrived in very good condition), which are compostable but do come with plastic ties (the brand is currently trialling an alternative). We do think this system helped with the flowers' longevity, as the blooms just kept getting better by the day, and we loved the cool aesthetic of Flowerfix's modern floristry.

Scilly Flowers, based on the island of St Martin's in the Isles of Scilly, was founded in 1991 and specialises in seasonal home-grown British flowers. Everything is grown right on the island's flower farm and is then delivered to the mainland via the island’s passenger ferry or by plane.

The brand offers two seasonal crops – scented narcissi between October and Easter, and summer scented pinks between May and September. Sometimes, other Scilly-grown blooms are available for short periods, too. A big plus to growing the flowers in Scilly is that, thanks to the island's mild climate, even the winter crops are grown outside and no additional heat or light is used, making them very low-energy options.

We loved the floral scent this bouquet delivered. Almost all the blooms came in bud, meaning they lasted a long time, and we found them really easy to arrange. The delivery box isn't strictly letterbox size, but the concept is the same – it's a compact box (shorter than the usual letterbox size but a bit thicker), with flowers neatly tucked inside that can be left on a doorstep or in a safe place. Prices also start from just £16 for 12 stems, and options range up to 100 steam. This option gets bonus points due to its completely plastic-free packaging, too.

Inspired by growing up in his parent's flower shop, Freddie has pioneered changing flower delivery for the better, by delivering bouquets by bicycle in London, or by electric vans around the rest of the country, and by partnering with Abel & Cole food box deliveries, to share the load.

Freddie's floral designs teeter between classically beautiful arrangements and those with a cool modern edge. We loved that inside the box was a sheet of music – a nod to the bouquet’s name ‘symphony in FF major' – which you scan on Spotify to hear a playlist of Beethoven's Symphonies. We also enjoyed the foolproof detailed tutorial on how to arrange the flowers. In the dusky pastel bouquet are lisianthus, santini, alstroemeria, eucalyptus, limonium, and roses, which combine to create a dramatic, romantic bouquet.

The Freddie's Flowers subscription model also enables the company to grow what it needs – the brand aims to reduce its floral wastage to just five per cent this year, compared with an industry average of 40 per cent.

As the company most associated with letterbox flowers, Bloom & Wild pioneered the incredibly convenient idea of sending stems in a letterbox-friendly package in 2013. Since then, many brands have followed suit but Bloom & Wild is still offering very fresh flowers and a wide range of beautiful bouquets.

We were drawn to the Nina, thanks to its vivid orange, yellow and lilac hues as well as its varied textures, from the little pompom-shaped craspedias to the blousy tulips and the structure and height from the frilly stocks flowers, also known as gillyflower or hoary stock.

We particularly like that the tulips are grown in the UK, and they're sent with the bulbs attached, so they can be planted at home. A little brown bag with instructions on how to trim, dry and plant them is included. We think it's a really positive step in encouraging people to think of flowers as something to be enjoyed for more than just a few days.

This bouquet arrived in the best condition of all those tested, and really shone for its design and longevity. Although it's the most expensive bunch, it does have the greatest number of stems, and we think they look more like they've come from your local florist than a letterbox-friendly parcel.

The company also offers a full range of letterbox-friendly gifts – from cocktails to candles.

We love this rather whimsical bouquet, which we found to be a welcome tonic to the usual spring offering. The well-curated peach, yellow and cream tones make for a pretty display, for those who want something different to the usual pink and lilac hues associated with spring.

Included in our bunch (which differed slightly from the photo on the company’s website) was a mix of white and yellow narcissi, yellow tulips, peachy roses and a few stems of herbaceous solidago (a yellow meadow flower), and we were very pleased with them.

The blooms come with a dinky but delicious packet of iced flower-shaped biscuits, which are handmade in Yorkshire by Cookielicious & Co.

Plus, we think this bouquet is a great choice for those who aren't too organised, as you can still get next-day delivery if you order by 4pm, whereas most brands have a cut-off of 12pm.

A classic bunch of yellows and purples, this aptly named bouquet does bring a touch of sunshine and happiness to the home. Made up of blue irises with yellow streaked petals; fluffy meadow flowers solidago and white statice; tight little pom-pom-like chrysanthemum madibas in yellow, and a big yellow rose, there's a real wildflower look and feel to this creation.

We also think there's a decent amount of stems, which, along with free delivery, makes this bunch a well-priced bouquet. Our flowers arrived in good condition and we didn't find they needed time to ‘wake up’, either, as some blooms do on arrival.

We love being able to opt for a florist's choice bouquet, as it showcases the best flowers of the moment, and the florist's own flair and creative design. We also like that the changing floral arrangements mean you’re getting a surprise when it comes to which blooms will arrive.

Our bouquet included purply lisianthus, mini white carnations, pink sweet William, white freesias and lots of baby's breath (also known as gypsophila), which gives lots of texture and added width to the bunch. We also like that it comes with a mini wall calendar, and each month has a different discount code, for an extra treat.

Bunches is a family-run business that began back in 1989. Every year, it donates at least 10 per cent of its profits to charities in the UK and abroad.

Named after a sweet pudding, these flowers are elegant and traditional with dusky pinky and purple colours that complement each other nicely. What we liked most is the inclusion of the sea holly (the almost dried thistle-type flower) and the pretty pale pink sugar flair hypericum berries, which both add plenty of texture and a theatrical element, setting themselves apart from other blooms. The bouquet also includes dusky pink antique carnations, ombre-hued lavender nightingale roses and white snapdragon that helps to break up the bouquet.

With 13 stems, this bouquet seemed a lot fuller, due to the vast amounts of heads on each stem. The bouquet is also bulked out with plenty of frothy baby's breath, which really fills in any gaps. Also included in the bouquet are pretty pastel pink roses and pink and yellow alstroemeria. Perhaps we were particularly lucky with our bunch, though we hope they all look as wonderfully full as ours did, as it makes for a very well-priced option.