Caring for your Amoré / 17

Keep it cool and out of direct sun, as the rose and hydrangea drink heavily and fade fast if water runs low. Refill daily and recut the rose stems at an angle, and if the hydrangea droops, mist its petals or submerge the head, since it drinks through its florets. The gerbera rides a hollow, fragile stem, so support it and trim little at a time. Strip leaves below the waterline, especially on lily and chrysanthemum.

A note on your specific blooms

  • Carnation — Cut stems cleanly between the swollen leaf joints rather than through them, as carnations draw water best when the node itself is left intact.
  • Chrysanthemum — Chrysanthemum is sensitive to murky water — strip the lower leaves and refresh it often.
  • Gerbera — Gerbera has fragile stems — use shallow, clean water and support the heads.
  • Hyacinth — Refresh the water often and rinse the stems when you do, as hyacinths release a sticky sap that clouds the water and shortens the life of nearby blooms.
  • Hydrangea — Hydrangea takes up water through its petals — mist the heads and keep the vase topped up.
  • Lily — Gently pinch out the orange pollen-bearing anthers as blooms open to protect petals and linen from staining.
  • Rose — Roses drink heavily — re-cut the stems at an angle every couple of days.

How long your flowers last

As a mix, expect five to eight good days, set by its most delicate blooms. The gerbera and rose fade first near day five to seven, with the hydrangea close behind at four to seven days. The carnation lasts longest at two to three weeks, the lily at eight to twelve days, the hyacinth and chrysanthemum between at seven to fourteen. The Amicis studio extends it by changing the water every two days and recutting each stem on a fresh diagonal.

The story behind these flowers

A closer look at the blooms gathered into this arrangement.

Carnation

Origin

Mediterranean region

Cultivated since

Antiquity, over 2,000 years

Fragrance

Sweet and clove-like

Symbolises

Fascination, distinction & love

Crowned in wreaths and garlands across the ancient Mediterranean, the carnation has been cultivated for more than two thousand years. Its tightly ruffled, fringed petals hold their form for weeks, lending an arrangement quiet structure and a warm, clove-edged scent that lingers without overwhelming.

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.

Gerbera

Origin

South Africa

Described

By science in 1889

Fragrance

Barely scented, lightly fresh

Symbolises

Cheerfulness, warmth & innocence

The gerbera daisy brings open, sunlit colour and a graphic simplicity to a bouquet. Native to South Africa and loved worldwide, its clean single bloom adds brightness and a friendly, contemporary note to Amicis designs.

Hyacinth

Origin

Eastern Mediterranean

Reached Europe

In the 1500s

Fragrance

Sweet and heady

Symbolises

Rebirth, sincerity & remembrance

Native to the eastern Mediterranean and named for the youth Hyakinthos of Greek myth, the hyacinth carries one of the most enveloping scents in floristry. A single dense spike perfumes an entire room, which is why Amicis places it sparingly, letting its fragrance and upright form anchor a composition rather than crowd 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.

Lily

Origin

Temperate Northern Hemisphere, richest in East Asia

Cultivated since

Over 3,000 years across Asia and the Mediterranean

Fragrance

Sweet and heady

Symbolises

Purity, devotion & renewal

Few flowers carry their architecture as openly as the lily, its petals curving back from a clear, sculptural throat. Painted on the walls of the Aegean Bronze Age more than three millennia ago, it has long stood for purity and devotion. In an Amicis arrangement a single stem sets the height and rhythm, its buds opening in sequence over days.

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.