Caring for your Hugs & Kisses

Lilac is a thirsty, woody-stemmed flower that struggles to pull water through a flat or sealed cut, so give it a deep vase and split or slant each stem on arrival to open the drinking surface. Strip any lower leaves below the waterline, since lilac foliage fouls the water quickly and shortens the life of the delicate florets above. Top up daily rather than letting the level drop, as these panicles wilt fast once they go short on water. Keep the arrangement cool and out of direct sun, and the buds still tucked along the stem will keep opening as the bouquet matures.

A note on your specific blooms

  • Lilac — Lilac drinks heavily and wilts fast, so trim the woody stems on a sharp angle, strip lower leaves, and refresh the water daily.

How long your flowers last

Built almost entirely from lilac, this bouquet keeps a realistic window of 4–7 days indoors. Lilac is the whole story here, so there is no hardier companion bloom to outlast it; the most exposed florets sit at the open tips of each panicle and will soften first, while the tighter buds lower down the stem hold longest and often keep opening as the older flowers fade. Because lilac is a heavy, woody-stemmed drinker, the single most useful habit is a daily water change with a fresh diagonal cut, which is exactly how Amicis conditions it before delivery. Keep it away from direct sun and ripening fruit and you will hold the upper end of that range.

The story behind these flowers

A closer look at the blooms gathered into this arrangement.

Lilac

Origin

The rocky hills of the southern Balkans

Cultivated since

Reached Europe in the 16th century

Fragrance

Sweet and heady

Symbolises

First love & renewal

Native to the Balkan hillsides and carried into European gardens through the Ottoman court at Constantinople in the late 16th century, lilac became the herald of late spring. Its dense panicles bring soft volume and that unmistakable perfume to an arrangement, lending an Amicis bouquet a romantic, garden-gathered ease that few flowers match.