Caring for your Kiss & Tell

Keep this arrangement somewhere cool and out of direct sun, since the hydrangea and anemones drink heavily and wilt fastest when warm. Roses are thirsty too, so check the water daily and top it up rather than letting the level drop. The hydrangea takes in moisture through its petals as well as its stem, so a light mist on a hot day helps it hold its shape; if a head starts to flag, a deeper drink usually revives it. The anthurium and orchid are more resilient and ask little beyond clean water, while the carnations simply prefer their stems cut on an angle so they can keep drinking freely.

A note on your specific blooms

  • Anemone — Keep anemones in cool, shallow water and out of direct heat, as the stems drink quickly and the blooms open wider each day.
  • Anthurium — Anthurium prefers warmth — keep it away from the cold and wipe the leaf gently.
  • 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.
  • Hydrangea — Hydrangea takes up water through its petals — mist the heads and keep the vase topped up.
  • 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 mix to look its best for roughly 5–7 days, with the bouquet evolving rather than fading all at once. The anemones and hydrangea are the first to soften, typically holding 4–8 days, so they set the early pace of the arrangement. The anthurium, orchid, and carnation are the long stayers, often lasting 2–3 weeks, with the roses settling in between at around 5–7 days. The single most useful habit is to refresh the water every two days and trim a little off the stems each time you do, which keeps the whole Amicis bouquet drinking well long after the anemones have bowed out.

The story behind these flowers

A closer look at the blooms gathered into this arrangement.

Anemone

Origin

Mediterranean region

Cultivated since

Antiquity, rooted in Greek myth

Fragrance

Virtually scentless

Symbolises

Anticipation, protection & sincerity

Named from the Greek for wind, the anemone has been grown since antiquity, its poppy-like petals encircling an inky black eye. That single dark centre gives an arrangement its quiet point of focus — graphic, composed, and unmistakably modern against softer blooms.

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.

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.

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.

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.