Caring for your Eclipse 8

This is a thirsty arrangement, so keep the vase generously filled and check the level daily; the roses in particular drink heavily and will droop quickly if the water runs low. The hydrangea takes in moisture through its petals as much as its stem, so a light mist on warm days alongside a deep drink helps it stay full rather than wilting at the edges. Re-cut the woody hydrangea and rose stems on a sharp diagonal every couple of days so they keep drawing water, and strip any foliage that would otherwise sit below the waterline. The anthurium and craspedia are far less demanding and simply prefer to be left undisturbed, away from direct sun, draughts, and the ethylene given off by ripening fruit nearby.

A note on your specific blooms

  • Anthurium — Anthurium prefers warmth — keep it away from the cold and wipe the leaf gently.
  • Craspedia — Give each stem a fresh diagonal cut and stand it in clean water; the bare stems need little else, and the golden heads hold for weeks.
  • Hydrangea — Hydrangea takes up water through its petals — mist the heads and keep the vase topped up.
  • 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 to 10 days as a whole, with each variety fading on its own schedule. The hydrangea and the rose are the first to soften, both typically lasting 4 to 7 days and signalling when the bouquet is past its peak. The anthurium is the quiet anchor here, often staying composed for 2 to 3 weeks, while the small button heads of craspedia hold for 1 to 2 weeks and dry beautifully even as the fresh blooms go. Because the shorter-lived hydrangea and roses set the visible lifespan, the single most useful habit is a clean diagonal re-cut of every stem with fresh water every two days, which is how Amicis keeps the mix looking considered for as long as possible.

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.

Craspedia

Origin

Australia and New Zealand

Described

By science in the late 1700s

Fragrance

Virtually scentless

Symbolises

Good health, optimism & cheer

A wildflower of Australian grasslands and alpine meadows, Craspedia carries a single perfect sphere of densely packed golden florets on a slender, leafless stem. That graphic, button-round form brings rhythm and a flash of warm colour to an arrangement - and because it dries beautifully, it holds its shape long after the rest has faded.

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.

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.