Flower shipment packaging

Abstract

Flower shipment packaging includes a generally cylindrical outer container with a lid. A support for the vase of a floral arrangement is inserted at the lower portion of the inner chamber of the outer container. This support is preferably made of a plurality of flat pieces of cardboard that are slotted so they may be assembled together with eight peripheral edges engaging the inner periphery of the outer container and defining a central sub-chamber sized to snugly receive the vase. Above the vase support, a bouquet support is provided consisting of a blank cut out of a piece of cardboard and including a plurality of peripheral fins that may fold up at scoring locations to create a bouquet support and a central region that includes a plurality of radially extending slots that meet centrally to define a plurality of triangular portions that may be bent downwardly when a floral arrangement is pushed through them. The package is completed by inserting the ends of the stems of the bouquet into a foam hydration system enclosing the hydration system and the stems of the bouquet within a plastic bag and securing the sub-assembly together.

1 . A package for shipping an arrangement of flowers, comprising:
 a) an outer container defining an inner chamber;   b) a vase support removably received within said inner chamber and spacing a vase from inner walls of said inner chamber; and   c) a bouquet support removably received within said inner chamber above said vase support, said bouquet support including a central opening expandable when stems of a bouquet are pushed therethrough.   
   
   
       2 . The package of  claim 1 , wherein said outer container is cylindrical. 
   
   
       3 . The package of  claim 2 , wherein said outer container includes a removable lid closing an upper opening thereof. 
   
   
       4 . The package of  claim 1 , wherein said outer container includes a removable lid closing an upper opening thereof. 
   
   
       5 . The package of  claim 1 , wherein said vase support defines a sub-chamber within said inner chamber sized to snugly receive a vase. 
   
   
       6 . The package of  claim 5 , wherein said vase support is made of four rectangular pieces of cardboard. 
   
   
       7 . The package of  claim 6 , wherein said pieces of cardboard are identical. 
   
   
       8 . The package of  claim 7 , wherein each piece of cardboard comprises a rectangle having two slots therein, each slot extending part-way from one side toward another side thereof. 
   
   
       9 . The package of  claim 8 , wherein said vase support, as assembled, comprises first and second parallel rectangular pieces and third and fourth rectangular pieces parallel to one another and perpendicular to said first and second pieces. 
   
   
       10 . The package of  claim 1 , wherein said bouquet support comprises a cardboard blank with a central region surrounded by a plurality of peripheral fins foldable to create a sub-enclosure surrounding a bouquet placed therein. 
   
   
       11 . The package of  claim 10 , wherein said fins are foldable at scored portions of said bouquet support. 
   
   
       12 . The package of  claim 10 , wherein two opposed said fins include integral gripping handles to facilitate grasping of said bouquet support. 
   
   
       13 . The package of  claim 10 , wherein said central opening of said bouquet support is defined by a plurality of circumferentially disposed bendable portions having distal ends defining an opening therebetween. 
   
   
       14 . The package of  claim 13 , wherein each bendable portion is attached to said central region at a proximal end thereof and is bendable about said proximal end. 
   
   
       15 . The package of  claim 14 , wherein each bendable portion is generally triangular, said distal end of each bendable portion being substantially pointed, said pointed distal ends of said bendable portions defining, therebetween, said central opening, said central opening expanding in size as said bendable portions are bent about their proximal ends. 
   
   
       16 . A package for shipping an arrangement of flowers, comprising:
 a) an outer cylindrical container defining an inner chamber and including a removable lid;   b) a vase support removably received within said inner chamber and including a sub-chamber spacing a vase snugly received therein from inner walls of said inner chamber; and   c) a bouquet support removably received within said inner chamber above said vase support, said bouquet support including a central opening defined by a plurality of circumferentially disposed bendable portions having distal ends defining an opening therebetween, each bendable portion being attached to a central region of said bouquet support at a proximal end thereof and being bendable about said proximal end, whereby said central opening is expandable when stems of a bouquet are pushed therethrough.   
   
   
       17 . The package of  claim 16 , wherein said vase support is made of four identical rectangular pieces of cardboard, each piece of cardboard comprising a rectangle having two slots therein, each slot extending part-way from one side toward another side thereof. 
   
   
       18 . The package of  claim 17 , wherein said vase support, as assembled, comprises first and second parallel rectangular pieces and third and fourth rectangular pieces parallel to one another and perpendicular to said first and second pieces. 
   
   
       19 . The package of  claim 16 , wherein said bouquet support comprises a cardboard blank with said central region surrounded by a plurality of peripheral fins foldable at scored portions to create a sub-enclosure surrounding a bouquet placed therein, two opposed ones of said fins including integral gripping handles to facilitate grasping of said bouquet support. 
   
   
       20 . The package of  claim 16 , wherein each bendable portion is generally triangular, said distal end of each bendable portion being substantially pointed, said pointed distal ends of said bendable portions defining, therebetween, said central opening, said central opening expanding in size as said bendable portions are bent about their proximal ends.