Caring for your Amoré / 10

Keep this bouquet somewhere cool and out of direct sun, since the Roses and Hydrangea drink heavily and tire fastest in warmth. Give the Hydrangea a deep drink and a light mist now and then, as it takes up much of its water through the head rather than the stem alone. Recut the woody Rose stems at an angle so they keep pulling water freely, and handle the slender Lisianthus and the Orchid gently, as their fine stems and delicate petals bruise more easily than the rest. Above all, refresh the water before it clouds, and trim away any lower foliage that would otherwise sit below the waterline.

A note on your specific blooms

  • Hydrangea — Hydrangea takes up water through its petals — mist the heads and keep the vase topped up.
  • Lisianthus — Its stems are slender and easily bruised, so handle gently and recut at an angle before placing in clean, shallow water.
  • Orchid — Keep orchid stems in cool, clean water away from ripening fruit, whose ethylene gas makes the blooms drop early.
  • Rose — Roses drink heavily — re-cut the stems at an angle every couple of days.

How long your flowers last

Expect this arrangement to hold for roughly 5–8 days, with its life shaped by the differing rhythms of its four flowers. The Hydrangea fades first, drinking quickly and softening within 4–7 days, while the Roses follow a similar 5–7 day arc. Lisianthus holds a little longer, opening fresh buds over 7–10 days, and the Orchid easily outlasts the rest, staying composed for two to three weeks. To carry the Amoré through its full range, change the water every two days and recut the stems each time you do.

The story behind these flowers

A closer look at the blooms gathered into this arrangement.

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.

Lisianthus

Origin

Prairies of the southern United States and Mexico

Cultivated since

The 20th century, refined by Japanese breeders

Fragrance

Virtually scentless, clean and unobtrusive

Symbolises

Appreciation, charisma & lasting bonds

Native to the open prairies of the southern United States and Mexico, lisianthus grew wild until Japanese breeders coaxed it into the ruffled, rose-like bloom we know today. Its layered petals open in slow succession, giving an arrangement a gentle, unfurling movement long after the first stems have peaked.

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.

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.