But now, many are opting for monthly premium flower subscriptions. Vaishali Harigovind, the founder of The Floral Collective, a premium flower subscription service based in Chennai, says that flowers have a positive effect on our moods. “My family has farms in Ooty and Mysuru where they grow flowers. I started by procuring flowers from these farms and keeping them at my house in Chennai. It is always nice to keep flowers at home and it instantly brightened up my mood. I also started enjoying the process of caring for flowers which helped me unwind and connect with nature - which aligned with a large part of myself having grown up at a hill station. I realised that fresh flowers made me happier and brought about a sense of calm. I thought why not share this happiness and launched my venture The Floral Collective,” says Vaishali.

She recollects that the subscriptions picked up during the lockdown period because people were stuck at home and it was a nice feeling to keep fresh flowers at home. “Without waiting for an occasion or waiting for someone to gift us flowers, if a person can buy flowers for oneself, it is a liberating experience. Our concept is farm to table – we get flowers at their freshest from the farms so they live to their fullest in vases. Most of the flowers last for more than 10 days. We have weekly and monthly subscription models - it will be assorted flowers or a surprise arrangement filled with seasonal flowers,” she explains.

The self-taught florist notices that the most in-demand flower is sea lavenders (Limonium). “They are one of the best everlasting and dried flowers and will last up to two months in a vase. Also, they retain much of their colour when dried. Another flower that many customers ask about is strawflowers. You can use them as potpourri later. We send out flowers with a flower care card. This enables our customers to be well-versed in the best ways to care for their precious flowers. Our service is not about over-the-top arrangements. Instead, we wanted people to experience flowers in their purest form - naked and unarranged. Our flowers are a perfect treat for minimalists. That said, we also do send out carefully curated arrangements of seasonal flowers once in a way. Each bunch is also wrapped in handcrafted eco-friendly packaging,” remarks Vaishali.

Another flower subscription service that is in demand among Chennaiites is The Flower Shop 538. “Earlier, only a section of people from the city ordered flowers. But in the past year, the scene has changed. Flowers are something that cheers up and one doesn’t need to think too much before buying them. People are ready to buy flowers and customers here are very conscious about the quality of flowers. We have monthly subscriptions – but they are not a huge section of our customer base. We do have regular customers who get flowers from us,” says the founder of The Flower Shop 538.

Fiore by Nidhi is another popular flower subscription service in the city that offers bespoke fresh flowers and hampers. They source flowers from eco-friendly farms across India and overseas. And their wide selection of flowers helps in making the perfect arrangement for any occasion.