Caring for your Sparkle Holidays 05

Keep this bouquet in a clean vase of cool, fresh water and out of direct sun and the path of any air vent, which is what the hydrangea and amaryllis feel most quickly. The hydrangea drinks largely through its petals, so a light mist over the head and a daily water change will keep it from wilting before its time. Give the amaryllis its own attention as well: its stem is hollow and heavy, so support the bloom and re-cut on a sharp angle to help it draw water. The orchid and pine ask for little beyond clean water, though a snip of the woody pine stems every couple of days keeps them taking up moisture and holding their deep green.

A note on your specific blooms

  • Amaryllis — Its hollow stems bend and split easily, so cut at an angle, keep water shallow, and support tall stems if the heavy heads start to lean.
  • Hydrangea — Hydrangea takes up water through its petals — mist the heads and keep the vase topped up.
  • Orchid — Keep orchid stems in cool, clean water away from ripening fruit, whose ethylene gas makes the blooms drop early.
  • Pine — Recut the woody stems on an angle and keep the foliage misted, as pine holds best in cool, draught-free air away from heat sources.

How long your flowers last

Expect this arrangement to hold beautifully for roughly 5–10 days, with the timeline shaped by its mix of long-lasting and more delicate blooms. The orchid and pine are the endurers here, often staying fresh for two to three weeks and carrying the arrangement well past its midpoint. The amaryllis sits comfortably in between at one to two weeks, while the hydrangea is the first to soften, typically fading after four to seven days as its thirsty head loses moisture. To stretch the display as long as possible, the single most useful habit is a clean diagonal re-cut of every stem and fresh water every two days, which is the rhythm Amicis recommends for keeping a mixed bouquet like this at its best.

The story behind these flowers

A closer look at the blooms gathered into this arrangement.

Amaryllis

Origin

South America (Andes & Brazil)

Reached Europe

Early 18th century

Fragrance

Virtually scentless

Symbolises

Pride, determination & radiant beauty

Native to South America, the amaryllis sends up tall hollow stems crowned with trumpet blooms the size of an open hand. That single dramatic gesture is its gift to an arrangement – one stem reads as a statement, holding height and architecture where softer flowers gather. Amicis favours it through the cooler months, when its scale feels most deliberate.

Hydrangea

Origin

Japan & the Americas

Cultivated since

Reached European gardens in the 1700s

Fragrance

Very light, fresh and green

Symbolises

Heartfelt emotion & gratitude

Named from the Greek for 'water vessel', the hydrangea carries full, cloud-like heads that shift colour with the soil — from blush and cream to deep blue. Its generous volume gives Amicis bouquets their soft, romantic fullness.

Orchid

Origin

Tropical regions worldwide

Cultivated since

Prized in Asia for centuries; carried to Europe across the 18th and 19th centuries

Fragrance

Most cut varieties virtually scentless

Symbolises

Refinement, luxury & rare beauty

Among the largest plant families on earth, orchids took root across the tropics of Asia and the Americas, cultivated in Asia long before reaching the West. Victorian collectors then chased them across the globe, fuelling a famous European craze. Their arched stems and sculptural blooms bring quiet architecture to an arrangement, holding their form for weeks where softer flowers fade.

Pine

Origin

Northern Hemisphere forests

Recorded

In use for centuries

Fragrance

Fresh, resinous and green

Symbolises

Longevity, endurance & resilience

An evergreen conifer that has framed gatherings for centuries, pine carries a cool, resinous scent and holds its needles the year round. As cut foliage it brings deep evergreen colour and architectural lines, anchoring an Amicis arrangement with texture and a quiet sense of permanence.