Caring for your Bloom Theory

Keep Velvet Orchard in a clean vase of cool, fresh water and stand it away from direct sun, fruit bowls and the dry draught of air conditioning. The Hydrangea is the thirstiest bloom here and drinks partly through its petals, so a light misting and a deep drink will revive it the moment it looks tired. Give the Anthurium room to breathe, as its waxy spathe bruises easily under crowding, and trim the woody base of the Eryngium so it can keep pulling water alongside the softer stems. The Dahlias are the most delicate of the group, so handle their heads gently and lift away spent petals to keep the rest of the arrangement composed.

A note on your specific blooms

  • Anthurium — Anthurium prefers warmth — keep it away from the cold and wipe the leaf gently.
  • Dahlia — Cut the hollow stems at an angle and refresh the water every day or two, as dahlias drink heavily and wilt quickly when thirsty.
  • Eryngium — Trim stems at an angle and keep the water shallow and clean, as Eryngium dislikes sitting deep and lasts longest in a cool spot.
  • Hydrangea — Hydrangea takes up water through its petals — mist the heads and keep the vase topped up.

How long your flowers last

Expect Velvet Orchard to hold for roughly 5–10 days, with the mix evolving rather than fading all at once; the Dahlias are the most fleeting at 4–7 days, so they soften and bow first as the arrangement matures; the Hydrangea sits close behind, also around 4–7 days, while the Anthurium is the anchor and stays crisp and glossy for 2–3 weeks, with the Eryngium drying gracefully over 1–2 weeks; to draw out the longest display, the single most useful habit Amicis recommends is to recut the stems at an angle and refresh the water every two days

The story behind these flowers

A closer look at the blooms gathered into this arrangement.

Anthurium

Origin

Rainforests of Colombia & Ecuador

Documented

By botanists in the 1870s

Fragrance

Virtually scentless

Symbolises

Hospitality, confidence & beauty

The anthurium's glossy, sculptural 'bloom' is in fact a modified leaf, with a poised tropical architecture few flowers can match. It lends Amicis designs a clean, modern edge — and one of the longest vase lives in the bouquet.

Dahlia

Origin

Mexico and Central America

Cultivated since

Aztec gardens; reached Europe in the late 18th century

Fragrance

Virtually scentless

Symbolises

Elegance, dignity & devotion

Declared the national flower of Mexico, the dahlia was grown in Aztec gardens long before it was first raised in Europe in the late 18th century, spreading widely in the decades that followed. In its ball and pompon forms, the densely layered florets curl into a near-spherical head — geometry that gives an Amicis arrangement a sculptural, architectural centre that holds the eye.

Eryngium

Origin

Coastal and temperate Europe and the Mediterranean, with kin across the Americas

Prized since

Antiquity; a celebrated European confection from the 16th–18th centuries

Fragrance

Virtually scentless

Symbolises

Structure, attraction & independence

Often called sea holly, Eryngium answers to the steel-blue clusters and spiny collars that hold their colour even when dried. In an Amicis arrangement it works as architecture rather than bloom, lending edge and metallic depth that sharpens softer roses and peonies around it.

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.