Caring for your Amethyst

Keep this arrangement somewhere cool and out of direct sun, as its tropical anchors — anthurium, heliconia and bird of paradise — hold up best away from heat while the tulips and gerberas wilt quickly in a warm spot. The woody stems of the protea need a clean diagonal cut and a deep drink to draw water up their dense fibres, and the hydrangea benefits from a full vase since it takes in moisture through its petals as much as its stem. Gerbera stems are the most fragile here, so support them upright and keep the water shallow and clean to stop them bending or rotting at the base. Pull the hydrangea and tulips as they tire and the orchid, protea and anthurium will carry the composition on for another week.

A note on your specific blooms

  • Allium — Change the water often and keep it fresh, as Allium stems can release a faint onion odour into the vase.
  • Rose — Roses drink heavily — re-cut the stems at an angle every couple of days.
  • Chrysanthemum — Chrysanthemum is sensitive to murky water — strip the lower leaves and refresh it often.
  • Amaranthus — Recut the stems at an angle and keep the water shallow, as amaranthus drinks heavily and the lower stem softens quickly when submerged too deep.
  • Eremurus — Stake or support the tall stems and keep them upright, as the heavy flower spike will bend toward the light if left to lean.
  • Nerine — Keep the vase topped up but shallow, as Nerine stems are prone to softening if left in deep water.
  • Agapanthus — Trim the thick, fleshy stems on a slant and refresh the water often, as Agapanthus drinks heavily and clouds its vase quickly.

How long your flowers last

Expect this mix to hold beautifully for roughly 7–10 days, with the timeline shaped by its quieter blooms rather than its architectural ones. The hydrangea is the first to soften, drinking heavily and fading around day 4–7, with the tulips and gerberas following close behind at 5–8 days. Holding longest are the sculptural elements — anthurium and orchid stretch to 2–3 weeks, while protea, heliconia and bird of paradise carry the arrangement's structure through 10–14 days. To get the most from every stem, recut the ends at an angle and refresh the water every two days; at Amicis we find this single habit does more than anything else to keep the Tropical Bloom looking composed.

The story behind these flowers

A closer look at the blooms gathered into this arrangement.

Allium

Origin

Central Asia, the Mediterranean and the temperate Northern Hemisphere

Cultivated since

Ornamental use spread through Europe from the 1800s

Fragrance

Faintly oniony, otherwise clean

Symbolises

Unity, patience & strength

A member of the onion family, the Allium opens into a perfect sphere of tiny star-shaped florets held high on a bare stem. That clean geometry brings rhythm and altitude to an arrangement, drawing the eye upward and lending structure to softer, rounder blooms around it.

Rose

Origin

Asia — China, Persia & the Mediterranean

Cultivated since

Over 5,000 years

Fragrance

Warm and sweet, of honey & tea

Symbolises

Love, gratitude & admiration

The most storied flower in the world, grown and gifted for five millennia. Its layered petals and soft scent have made it the universal language of affection — and the quiet anchor of almost every Amicis arrangement.

Chrysanthemum

Origin

East Asia — China & Japan

Cultivated since

Over 3,000 years in China

Fragrance

Soft, earthy and herbal

Symbolises

Longevity, joy & well-wishing

One of the oldest cultivated flowers, prized in China and Japan for three thousand years and honoured with its own festival. Its dense, textured heads bring depth and a long, dependable life to an arrangement.

Amaranthus

Origin

Tropical Americas (Andes & Mesoamerica)

Cultivated since

For thousands of years by Andean & Mesoamerican peoples

Fragrance

Virtually scentless

Symbolises

Immortality, unfading love & endurance

Grown across the Americas for millennia as both grain and ornament, amaranthus is best known for its long crimson tassels that spill downward in soft, trailing ropes. Its name comes from the Greek for unfading, a nod to blooms that hold colour and form even as they dry. In an arrangement it adds movement and weight, draping over the edge of a vessel to break a clean silhouette and lend an Amicis piece an unhurried, sculptural fall.

Eremurus

Origin

Western and Central Asia

Cultivated since

Brought into European gardens in the 19th century

Fragrance

Faint and honeyed

Symbolises

Endurance, stature & grace

Native to the dry, rocky slopes of Western and Central Asia, Eremurus is known as the foxtail lily for its towering spire of hundreds of tiny star-shaped florets that open slowly from the base upward. In an arrangement it brings vertical drama and architecture, drawing the eye skyward and giving an Amicis design its sense of scale.

Nerine

Origin

South Africa's Cape Provinces

Cultivated since

Grown in Europe for over 300 years

Fragrance

Virtually scentless

Symbolises

Good fortune & rare grace

A South African native carried to Europe by the seventeenth century, where it took root on Guernsey and earned the name Guernsey lily, Nerine opens in autumn when most blooms have faded. Its spider-fine petals carry a faint shimmer that catches the light, lending an Amicis arrangement a jewel-like, late-season elegance.

Agapanthus

Origin

South Africa

In European gardens since

Reached Europe in the late 1600s

Fragrance

Virtually scentless

Symbolises

Love, fertility & purity

Native to South Africa, Agapanthus takes its name from the Greek words for love and flower, and carries clusters of blue or white trumpets atop tall, bare stems. In an arrangement it reads as architecture - rounded umbels that lift the eye and lend an airy, sculptural rhythm above the lower blooms.