Caring for your Pocket Posy

Keep this posy in cool, indirect light and away from draughts or ripening fruit, since the dahlias and hydrangea are the thirstiest and most fragile of the group. The hydrangea drinks as much through its petals as its stem, so a light misting of the head helps it stay full and revives it if it starts to flag. Recut the soft dahlia and amaranthus stems on a sharp angle and clear any foliage below the waterline, where it would otherwise cloud the water and shorten the whole arrangement. The anthurium and chrysanthemum are the hardiest here and ask for little beyond clean, fresh water, so let them carry the bouquet once the more delicate blooms have had their moment.

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.
  • 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.
  • Hydrangea — Hydrangea takes up water through its petals — mist the heads and keep the vase topped up.

How long your flowers last

Expect this mix to hold for roughly 5–8 days, with the bouquet's character shifting as each bloom keeps its own pace. The dahlias and hydrangea are the first to soften, both fading around the 4–7 day mark, so they set the early tone of how the posy ages. The anthurium is the quiet anchor, often lasting 2–3 weeks, while the chrysanthemum carries through at 7–14 days and the amaranthus trails for 7–10. Because the shorter-lived blooms lead the decline, the single most useful habit is to refresh the water every two days and trim the stems at an angle each time, which is how Amicis keeps an arrangement like this looking composed well past its first few days.

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.

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.

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.