Caring for your Be My Valentine

Keep this arrangement in a cool spot away from direct sun, draughts and any nearby fruit, since the Lily and Calla Lily in particular fade faster in warmth. The Roses and Lilies are heavy drinkers, so check the water level daily and top it up before it runs low, while the Hydrangea takes in moisture through its petals as much as its stem and appreciates an occasional misting to stay turgid. Re-cut the woody Hydrangea and firm Anthurium stems on a sharp diagonal every couple of days so they keep drinking, and handle the more delicate Gerbera stems gently as they bruise and bend easily. If you spot Lily stamens opening, lift the pollen away with a tissue to protect the surrounding Carnations and Chrysanthemums from staining.

A note on your specific blooms

  • Anthurium — Anthurium prefers warmth — keep it away from the cold and wipe the leaf gently.
  • Calla Lily — Re-cut the thick, fleshy stems on an angle and keep water shallow, as callas are prone to softening if stood too deep.
  • 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.
  • 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

With a mix this varied, expect a realistic display of 5–10 days, with the look shifting as different blooms peak and recede in turn. The Gerbera, Hydrangea and Rose tend to soften first, the Gerbera and Hydrangea within 5–7 days and the Rose close behind, so the arrangement reads at its fullest in the opening week. Holding longest are the Anthurium and Carnation, which carry on for 2–3 weeks, with the Lily, Calla Lily and Chrysanthemum bridging the middle at 8–14 days. The single most useful habit is to refresh the water every two days and re-trim the stems at an angle each time, which is how Amicis keeps the longer-lived blooms looking composed well after the early flowers have gone.

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.

Calla Lily

Origin

Southern Africa

Cultivated since

Reached Europe in the 1600s

Fragrance

Virtually scentless

Symbolises

Grace, purity & devotion

Native to southern Africa, the calla's signature is not a petal at all but a single furled spathe wrapped around a slender golden spadix. That clean, sculptural curve is why it reads as architecture rather than bloom – one stem lends an Amicis arrangement quiet, modern poise.

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.

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.