Caring for your Pearl Blossom

Pearl Blossom asks for cool, clean water and a little daily attention, as several of its blooms drink heavily. The hydrangea takes water through its petals as much as its stem, so a light misting keeps its full heads from wilting before their time, while the dahlia and delphinium have softer, thirstier stems that flag quickly if the vase runs low. Recut the woodier orchid and chrysanthemum stems on an angle so they keep their channel to water open, and lift the feathery amaranthus and tall delphinium clear of crowding so air moves freely around them. Keep the whole arrangement away from direct sun, fruit, and draughts, and top up the water before it drops below the lower stems.

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.
  • 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.
  • Dahlia — Cut the hollow stems at an angle and refresh the water every day or two, as dahlias drink heavily and wilt quickly when thirsty.
  • Delphinium — Keep the tall stems in deep, fresh water and out of draughts, as Delphinium drinks heavily and wilts quickly if the vase runs low.
  • Fritillaria — Cut the hollow stems on a slant and refresh the water often, as fritillaria draws heavily and its stems can foul the vase quickly.
  • 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.

How long your flowers last

Expect this mix to hold for roughly 5–7 days at its best, with a graceful tapering after that. The dahlia and hydrangea are the first to soften, typically fading within 4–7 days, so let them set the early rhythm of the arrangement. The orchid and carnation are the quiet endurers here, often staying fresh for 2–3 weeks, while the chrysanthemum can carry on for up to two weeks alongside them. To stretch the life of the whole bouquet, the single most useful habit is to refresh the water every two days and trim the stems on a diagonal each time — a small ritual the Amicis team relies on to keep blooms drinking well past their first day.

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.

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.

Dahlia

Origin

Mexico and Central America

Cultivated since

Aztec gardens; reached Europe in the late 18th century

Fragrance

Virtually scentless

Symbolises

Elegance, dignity & devotion

Declared the national flower of Mexico, the dahlia was grown in Aztec gardens long before it was first raised in Europe in the late 18th century, spreading widely in the decades that followed. In its ball and pompon forms, the densely layered florets curl into a near-spherical head — geometry that gives an Amicis arrangement a sculptural, architectural centre that holds the eye.

Delphinium

Origin

Native across the Northern Hemisphere, through Europe and Asia

Cultivated since

In European gardens for centuries

Fragrance

Virtually scentless

Symbolises

Openness, lightness & positivity

Named from the Greek for dolphin, after the shape of the flower itself, Delphinium carries blooms in graduated spires of cobalt, violet and white. That vertical line is what makes it indispensable in an arrangement - it draws the eye upward and gives an Amicis design its sense of height and architecture.

Fritillaria

Origin

Mountains of Turkey, Iran and the Himalayas

Introduced to Europe

Reached European gardens in the 1500s

Fragrance

Distinctly musky

Symbolises

Majesty, pride & protection

A crown of pendant bells beneath a tuft of leaves, the crown imperial carried itself into European royal gardens in the 1500s and never lost the bearing. Its architecture lends an arrangement true vertical drama, which is why Amicis reserves it for pieces that want a single, regal focal point.

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.