Caring for your Eclipse 9

Keep the water clean and cool, and change it every two days, because the roses and gerberas in this mix are heavy drinkers that wilt quickly once the vase runs low. Recut all stems on a slant before they go back in, and trim the gerbera stems a touch more often since their soft necks tend to soften and droop first. The bells of Ireland and amaranthus carry weight on tall stems, so give them room and support rather than crowding them against the orchid and anthurium, whose waxy faces bruise if pressed. Mist the orchid and anthurium lightly to keep them supple, and lift away the rose and gerbera the moment they begin to fade so the longer-lasting blooms can hold the shape of the arrangement. Keep the whole piece out of direct sun and away from draughts and ripening fruit, all of which shorten its days.

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.
  • Anthurium — Anthurium prefers warmth — keep it away from the cold and wipe the leaf gently.
  • Bells of Ireland — Stems are hollow and heavy, so support the tall spires against a vase edge or among firmer stems to keep them from bending or snapping.
  • 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.
  • 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 7–10 days as a whole, with its bloom types ageing at different rates. The architectural anchors carry it longest: anthurium and orchid stay composed for 2–3 weeks, while bells of Ireland and amaranthus give a steady 7–10 days. The softer, more open faces fade first, so the gerbera (5–8 days) and the rose (5–7 days) are usually the earliest to bow, with the chrysanthemum holding a longer 7–14 days. As those front-runners pass, lift them out so the orchid and anthurium can carry the piece into a second week, and recut the remaining stems at an angle every two days, the single habit that most reliably extends the life of an Amicis bouquet.

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.

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.

Bells of Ireland

Origin

Western Asia – Turkey, Syria and the Caucasus

Cultivated since

The 1500s, in European gardens

Fragrance

Fresh and green, with a faint mint note

Symbolises

Good luck & good fortune

Despite the name, Bells of Ireland comes from western Asia, and its green "bells" are not petals at all but cupped calyces cradling tiny white flowers. That tall, sculptural spire of apple-green brings vertical line and an architectural calm to an arrangement, the structural counterpoint Amicis sets against softer blooms.

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.

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.