Caring for your Salver 04

Keep this mix in a clean vase with plenty of cool water, since the roses are thirsty drinkers and the hydrangea takes up moisture through its petals as much as its stem, so a light daily mist over the hydrangea head helps it stay full. Recut the rose and hydrangea stems on a sharp angle every couple of days, and give the woody hydrangea stem a slightly deeper trim so it can pull water freely. Handle the orchid with a gentle touch, as its stem is more delicate than the rest and prefers not to be crowded or jostled. Let the amaranthus trail naturally over the edge rather than propping it upright, and keep the whole arrangement away from direct sun, heat, and ripening fruit to hold its color and shape.

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.
  • 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 arrangement to hold for roughly 5–8 days as a whole, with each bloom keeping its own rhythm. The hydrangea is the first to soften, usually fading within 4–7 days, while the roses follow at a similar 5–7 days as their outer petals relax. The amaranthus draws its draping form out a little longer, around 7–10 days, and the orchid is by far the most enduring, often standing fresh for 2–3 weeks after the rest have been cleared. The single most useful habit is to refresh the water every two days and trim the stems at an angle each time, which keeps the hydrangea drinking and lets the Amicis composition age gracefully rather than all at once.

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.

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.