Caring for your Eclectic Bloom

This bouquet rewards a little attention to its very different stems. The hydrangea drinks largely through its petals as well as its stem, so a light misting and a deep, cool drink keep its head from wilting before its time. Heliconia carries a thick, tropical stem that prefers a generous water level and a warm spot away from cold drafts, while the cascading amaranthus is more fragile and bruises easily, so handle its tassels gently as you arrange them. Keep the whole display out of direct sun and away from ripening fruit, and re-cut every stem each time you change the water to keep all three blooms drinking freely.

A note on your specific blooms

  • 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.
  • Heliconia — Keep it warm; Heliconia bruises and blackens below 12°C, so never refrigerate or sit it in a cold draught.
  • Hydrangea — Hydrangea takes up water through its petals — mist the heads and keep the vase topped up.

How long your flowers last

Expect Eclectic Bloom to hold for roughly 7-10 days, with each bloom keeping its own rhythm. The hydrangea is the first to soften, typically fading after 4-7 days, while the heliconia is the anchor of the arrangement and can stay striking for 10-14 days. The trailing amaranthus sits comfortably in between at 7-10 days, lending its texture well past the hydrangea's peak. The single most useful habit is to refresh the water every two days and trim a fingerwidth from each stem at an angle, which is how Amicis keeps a mixed bouquet like this one looking its best for longer.

The story behind these flowers

A closer look at the blooms gathered into this 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.

Heliconia

Origin

Tropical Americas (a few species Pacific/Indonesia)

Named

By Linnaeus in 1771

Fragrance

Virtually scentless

Symbolises

Boldness, return & exotic beauty

Linnaeus named the genus after Mount Helicon, home of the Greek muses, and the flower lives up to the billing. What reads as a bloom is a fan of waxy bracts, lacquered in scarlet, gold and pink, that lends an Amicis arrangement clean tropical architecture and lines that hold from across a room.

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.