Frequently Asked Questions

If you have a question for which you cannot find the answer, please feel welcome to contact us by phone or email. contact us

How do I know you are a real florist? Do you have a guarantee? Do you deliver? What about delivery on Sundays and holidays? Why do you ask for so much information? I wanted to send flowers to a funeral home, but the funeral service is over; What can I do? What happens if the recipient is not home when my delivery is attempted? Will you ever leave the package outside? Do you deliver to dormitories at U of M, EMU and Concordia College? What about deliveries going out of town? Where do your flowers come from? When will my credit card be charged? Do you sell anything other than flowers and plants? How can I make my flowers last longer?

How do I know you are a real florist?

Norton's Flowers & Gifts was founded in 1892 and currently has two beautiful stores Ann Arbor and Ypsilanti. Not only are we a "real florist", we are the largest florist in Washtenaw County. Additionally, we have the most square feet of sales of production facilities, the most designers, largest support staff, largest fleet of delivery vans and most combined management/staff experience.

Don't be fooled by cute or folksy-sounding shop names and advertisements that claim "family-owned" or they deliver in your neighborhood. If you want to be sure, check their website or ask them for their store address and local phone number. If you cannot find obvious evidence they have a real flower shop, you are about to spend your hard-earned money with an internet or telemarketing order processor who doesn't have a clue about flowers, much less the feelings you want to convey with your floral gift. Norton's wants you to know there is a difference between real, brick-and-mortar, neighborhood flower shops and those internet clearing houses where the operators wouldn't know a tulip from a rose. At Norton's, we sell roses and tulips! At Norton's, we sell flowers & plants. At Norton's, we actually deliver flowers and plants in Ypsilanti. We deliver flowers and plants in Ann Arbor. We even deliver flowers and plants to most of Washtenaw County. Use your choice to buy smart! Order online, safely and securely from your local, honest and hard-working, professional florist with a lifetime of experience, and have them delivered conveniently to those you love. Now that's a "real florist"!

Do you have a guarantee?

Norton's always guarantees our products and services to the customer's and recipient's 100% satisfaction. Our professional standards are extraordinarily high and we employ a triple-check quality control system for every order, so it is rare that we would fail to meet or exceed your expectations. But, if we ever disappoint you in any way, you are encouraged to let us know as quickly as possible so we can rectify the issue and let you return to the enjoyment of your floral gift.

Do you deliver?

Yes, Norton's Flowers & Gifts delivers 7 days a week. For local deliveries, Monday through Saturday, Norton's can usually deliver your floral gift on the same day you order, if the order is placed by 1:00pm (Michigan time). Frequently, we can even accommodate same day delivery for later or "rush" orders. For special delivery requests, it is recommended you call our main store to explain your needs (800-682-8667).

What about delivery on Sundays and holidays?

On Sundays we are able to deliver to most local destinations in Ann Arbor and Ypsilanti (with a $5.00 surcharge except for funeral deliveries). Orders requiring a Sunday delivery should be placed at least 24 hours in advance. For Sunday deliveries with less than 24 hours notice, we suggest calling our main store to find out if we can accommodate your request (800-682-8667).

Our stores will be closed, with no delivery service, on the days of the following holidays: Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Day, New Year's Day, Memorial Day, Independence Day and Labor Day. We are open and we deliver on "floral holidays" such as Easter, Mother's Day, Valentine's Day and Sweetest Day.

Why do you ask for so much information?

We ask for buyer's information because the credit card companies use address verification to authorize your card purchase. We ask for your multiple day and evening phone numbers because if we encounter unexpected challenges to completing your delivery as requested, we need to be able to contact you on short notice. We ask for detailed information on the recipient (including phone number) because delivery logistics are often more complicated than you original anticipate. Please trust that we use this information in your best interest to facilitate the great service you expect from Norton's.

I wanted to send flowers to a funeral home, but the funeral service is over. What can I do?

Don't worry, this happens all the time. Funerals services take place much quicker than they used to, but the grieving process doesn't end with the service. The best thing you can do is send an appropriate arrangement, planter, or fruit/gourmet basket to the home of a family member. They will be comforted knowing friends are still thinking of them during their difficult time.

What happens if the recipient is not home when my delivery is attempted?

Our professional delivery team makes every attempt to deliver your gift successfully. We understand there is an emotional advantage to having the flowers delivered at the requested time. The exact time of every delivery attempt is logged by our drivers along with the name of the person who accepts the delivery and that information is stored in our computers. Unfortunately, because flowers are usually a surprise delivery, the recipient is not always available to accept our delivery. Unless the customer instructs us otherwise (in advance), here is how we handle "unavailable recipients."

• Business Deliveries: Due to security restrictions, many companies require us to leave deliveries in the reception or security area. We will have the co-worker or security officer sign for the package so delivery can be verified
• Residential Deliveries: If the recipient is not home, our drivers will try three to four close-by neighbors to see if they will accept the delivery. If a neighbor is kind enough to do so, we log the time and their name, then leave a door tag on the recipient's home indicating where the package was left. If there no neighbors available or willing to accept the delivery, we still leave a door tag indicating the time we were there and that the package has been returned to our store. When the recipient calls us, we reschedule a delivery at their convenience.
• Hospital Deliveries: Hospital stays simply aren't as long they used to be. Patients are sometimes released on very short notice. At the same time, our hospitals are getting much larger, more secure and more complicated to deliver to. Unfortunately, hospitals no longer provide forwarding addresses, so if the patient has been discharged, we return the package to our main store and contact the sender (you) to ask for a home address where we can deliver the flowers.

Will you ever leave the package outside?

Our preference is to avoid that whenever possible, but sometimes it becomes a consideration if there are no close-by neighbors at home and our staff believes the gift's impact will be marginalized by redelivering on a later date. In those cases, if the product is not overly sensitive and the weather is cooperating, we may find a protected area around the porch or garage where we can leave the package. But, even if we compromise our delivery policy for the benefit of the customer or recipient, our product is always fully guaranteed. The only exception to that guarantee is if the customer or recipient insists we leave a package outside against our better judgment. In that case, we can not be responsible for the quality of the product.

Do you deliver to dormitories at U of M, EMU and Concordia College?

Yes, we do. Please be aware that for the security of the dorm residents, vendors are usually not permitted access beyond the "welcome" or "information" station. In most cases, a dormitory staffer accepts the delivery, notifies the resident and holds it at that station until the resident claims it.

What about deliveries going out of town?

For the convenience of our customers, Norton's maintains a network of preferred Teleflora and FTD florists, in whom we have the confidence they will care for your order as professionally as we do locally. While it is true that you can call another florist directly, we think it is an advantage for you to let Norton's do all the work and accept all the responsibility. Your process for selecting a florist would be quite random and arbitrary, while we maintain a selective database of reputable florists with whom we have a relationship or are familiar with their standards. Additionally, Norton's guarantees the order and becomes your advocate if you were to be disappointed in any way. Orders for delivery out of town should be placed as early as possible, but no later than 1:00 pm in the time zone where we'll be sending the delivery. Out-of-town business deliveries should be placed 24 hours in advance whenever possible. Specific time deliveries are extremely difficult to promise when the order is going outside our local delivery area, but we will do our best to convince the filling florist to deliver as requested.

International deliveries cannot be ordered on the website. There are too many variables affected by the country of destination. Delivery and service fees on international orders typically total $19.95. Please call our main store (800-682-8667) for more information or to place your order.

Norton's Flowers & Gifts is committed to ethical standards for the floral industry. We are active in industry associations and committees, working to ensure fair practices and consumer confidence. We always transmit your out-of-town order to the filling florist at 100% value of your product purchase plus an additional $10.00 to cover delivery expenses. The remaining service fee covers our expenses. Our century-old reputation with consumers and industry peers is on the line with every order. You can trust us!

Where do your flowers come from?

We receive flowers six days a week, year-round, from dozens of domestic and overseas growers. The majority originates in California, Hawaii, South America, Holland and Canada, but we also get product from Australia, New Zealand, Mexico, Florida, Ohio and Michigan.

When will my credit card be charged?

At, or shortly after, the time of purchase, we will seek authorization of sufficient credit. Your account will not actually be charged until your order is processed.

Do you sell anything other than flowers and plants?

Norton's Flowers & Gifts is a full-service retail florist with a huge greeting card and gift shop attached. We sell balloons, plush toys, fine chocolates, candles, contemporary and traditional picture frames, a wide array of imported crystal and art glass, jewelry, baby gifts, stationery products, silk flowers, yard/patio accessories and so much more.

While we are not able (at this time) to offer specific gift products for purchase on web (except for balloons, chocolates and plush toys), we invite you to visit or call one of our stores to speak with a friend gift counselor who can help you with your purchase. For a comprehensive list of our gift lines, please click here (Products & Services)

How can I make my flowers last longer?

Norton's Flowers & Gifts offers only superior quality product. Our flowers are always fresh and our plants are always healthy…we guarantee it! However, there are some environmental and handling variables that can affect the enjoyment duration of your purchase. For starters, some flowers simply last longer than others. While some costly and delicate blooms are more appreciated than other more common flowers, please remember that cost and long life are not directly proportionate. Some of those prized, delicate blooms have a much shorter life span than others. In general, however, it is safe to expect a minimum enjoyment of 3-5 days on almost any flower that is treated well. Other varieties can last a good two weeks in a favorable environment. Our bouquets probably average 7-12 days because (unless instructed otherwise by the customer) we try to mix proportionate numbers of short, medium and long life flowers.

Tips to help your flowers last longer:

1. Keep them in a cool spot whenever possible (65-72 degrees Fahrenheit); keep away from direct sunlight, heating/cooling vents, drafts from fans; don't set on top of televisions or radiators.
2. If your flowers are arranged in floral foam, keep container filled water so the foam never dries out.
3. If your flowers are delivered in a vase, keep the vase filled to the top. If the water becomes cloudy, it helps to change the water completely, adding floral food to the new (room temperature) water.
4. If your flowers come wrapped or in a box, arrange them in a vase of room temperature water with floral food added. Be sure to cut the end of each stem on an angle with a sharp knife or pruning shears (be careful!) and remove all foliage from stems that will be below the water line.
5. Why use floral food? Floral food is a combination of additives that help to nourish the flowers and discourage bacteria from growing in the water. It is one of the best ways to extend the life of your flowers, but it is very important to follow the directions on the package. Improperly mixed floral food can do more harm than good.