I need some real good advice.

I have been asked to send some Gerberra flowers, that are 4.5cm double layered flowers to America to a childrens cancer hospital.
I need to know how is the best way to dispatch these in packaging, im in England and will be sending these through Royalmail Air Mail.
These flowers are really fragile and break easily, what is the best way to get them there with as little breakages as possible. I will include extras to allow for this but really don't want them to all turn up there broken.

My mum has terminal cancer and I really would like to be able to do this to help those poorly children, its very dear to my heart as my mum is rather poorly, I really don't want to disapoint this lady as she too lost her mum to cancer a few months ago .
Any advice will be welcome
Thanks

I have attached the photo of the flowers in question.

wow - beautiful flowers! I have no idea how you ship them?? maybe use bubble wrap and foam between layers - I just don't know how to not have them break!

Good luck - may be with this bump someone will see it and have a solution for you!

I dont know if this helps but i believe if you carefully pack wrap them seperately in tissue and wax paper and if there is more than one layer, bubble wrap to seperate the layers, and plenty of peanuts in the open spaces. Then float that box in a larger box packed with styrofoam peanuts. I would use the fastest delivery possible and mark all over Fragile. Maybe even a short note on the outside that the package is for sick children. Might make the persons handling it, be more thoughtful.

What a sweetie you are to do this. I lost my own father to cancer last year. I pray blessings for you!!

Sorry to hear about your mum.

Pretty flowers - package them as if the box will be chucked down the stairs (that's what my DH says - he used to do work for Gatwick Airport baggage handling so he knows what goes on behind the scenes). That means making sure everything is well wrapped in bubble wrap, so that it cannot move around at all, or be crushed by anything. Probably a really sturdy box, plus lots of packing peanuts. Might be worth writing 'Fragile' on it, but from what DH says, they'll still put a car engine on top of it.

Good luck!

I wouldn't know how the best way to ship these...just wanted to say Thank you for doing this...I have lost several family members to cancer...and we are awaiting test results for my Mom...you are a sweet heart to do this.

Holy moly !!!


A car engine
Gosh these poor little flowers are not going to stand a chance.

The idea of suspending the box inside the other box sounds like it might work, well thats if an engine is not sit on top
+ the note about sick children thats a very good idea.

Thanks for your replys so far.

Well, maybe that's exaggerating , but assume the worst then you might be pleasantly surprised by how well your flowers do!

Thanks for caring so much to do such a great thing!

I have recently sent cookies to Iraq and they all arrived with no breakage. Cookies are not as delicate though! I wrap each cookie in wax paper and then in a full sheet of tissue paper and then in bubble wrap. I taped it closed with tape so it would not pop out of the bubble wrap. I then put peanuts in the bottom of a much larger box and then put the box to hold the cookies on top. Then I put peanuts around the outside of the smaller box to hold it in the middle of the larger one. I put a good two layers of bubble wrap on the bottom and sides of the smaller box. Next I put a layer of bubble wrapped cookies with tissue paper in between each and then another layer of bubble wrap and then cookies with tissue paper in between. I then repeated the process until they were all in the box. On top I put two layers of bubble wrap and then taped it shut. I put peanuts on top of the small box. I did mark the box fragile and perishable but I don't know if that made a difference of not.

Good luck and thanks again for being so sweet!

I used to ship tart shells for a pastry distribution company and we wrapped each layer in bubble wrap and placed in a box just big enough for the product to fit and then we would suspend it in a larger box with at least 2-3 inches of packing peanuts on each side, top and bottom. We always had really good luck with the suspending method. Hope that helps and I will think good thoughts for your mum.

Could you make a few, wrap as described and then give the box a test "shipment" down some stairs or something? This may help you decide how to wrap for the actual shipment.

Good luck and god bless for doing this for the children!!

I agree , package them in bubble wrap and then place them in the first box and then place the first in the second larger box with packaging popcorn. I sent cookies to my family in Stafford last Christmas and they arrived without a single crack.

Good luck, and I'm sure they will arrive perfectly. You are doing it for a wonderful cause and I'm sure only good will come out a good deed.

I have used the suggested method by Twopeasinapod to ship Orchids and have been very successful, not one petal broke.

Good Luck to your mom, God Bless!

Thanks for all your replys and well wishes for my mum.

I think this idea with a box inside another box will probably be the best way, I will do as mentioned , wrap some very carefully and "oh gosh can't believe i'm saying this" drop them down the stairs and see what happens. Knowing me my eyes will be tightly shut and I will be thinking "oh god please be ok" I will then remorsefully unwrap my poor little flowers to see what if any damage has been done.
I so want to be able to do this , its frustrating knowing you can but not knowing how.

Once again thx

As others said,suspend them with the box in a box idea.

Wrap them well with wax paper, then tissue paper, then bubble wrap and don't go easy on the packing peanuts either in both boxes.

I also sent you a PM with a couple questions about the flowers and dasies.

Thanks for doing this for the children. It's little things like that which mean the most to those in their situation.

I hope your daisies made it! Hugs to you for your wothy cause and for your mum.

I once shipped 3 small cuckoo clocks back to the states from Germany. It was a very good thing I packed them in a box within a larger box because when I arrived to open the box, I was shocked at the condition! It was obvious the box had been rained on, it was crushed and had a big boot print on top of it. Well, the joke is on whoever did the stomping because all 3 cuckoo clocks were perfectly safe inside!

When shipping overseas, always put clear tape over the addresses and put the addresses INSIDE the boxes as well. I can't tell you how many times I have received wet boxes.

Once you send them, don't forget to update us on how they arrived! We will all be anxious to hear how it all worked out!

Hi, i make cake decorations and ship them all over. The best way i have found is to use the plastic plates that when turned upside down act as a lid to the plate. I use royal icing to "glue" each piece down then a layer of plastic wrap and then either cotton batting or bubble wrap. Tape each plates lid on to ensure it does nto come off and pack with bubble wrap around each plate. Good Luck

I have shipped cookies all over and like someone else said, they aren't nearly as fragile as your flowers are, they hold up well when you use bubble wrap and packing peanuts. I think the box inside the box is a great idea too.
I hope they make it without incident!