Caring for your Syringa

Keep this arrangement away from direct sun and any draught from air-conditioning, since the hydrangea and gerbera are the first to wilt when they dry out or run short of water. The hydrangea drinks partly through its petals as well as its stem, so a light mist over the heads helps it stay turgid, and a deep vase with plenty of fresh water suits its heavy bloom. Give the gerbera support upright in the vase and trim its soft stem cleanly, as it bruises and bends easily when left to sit in murky water. The celosia, chrysanthemum and amaranthus are more forgiving, but they reward a clean cut and stripped lower foliage just the same, so no leaves sit below the waterline to cloud it. Refresh the water before it turns and the stock will hold its scent and the whole mix its 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.
  • Celosia — Keep the water shallow and refreshed often, as Celosia's thick stems are prone to rot in deep or stagnant vases.
  • 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.
  • Hydrangea — Hydrangea takes up water through its petals — mist the heads and keep the vase topped up.
  • Stock — Strip any lower leaves below the waterline and refresh the water often, as Stock's thick stems quickly cloud it and shorten the vase life.

How long your flowers last

Expect this Syringa mix to hold for roughly 5–9 days in a clean vase, with the soft-petalled blooms setting the early ceiling and the textural stems carrying the arrangement to its close. The hydrangea fades first here, typically lasting 4–7 days as its thirsty heads are quick to show stress, with the gerbera close behind at 5–8 days on its slender, water-sensitive stem. The celosia and chrysanthemum are the long-distance runners, often holding one to two weeks, while the amaranthus trails its plumes for 7–10 days and the stock keeps for 5–7. To stretch the whole arrangement, change the water every two days and trim a centimetre from each stem at an angle when you do, which the Amicis team finds matters most for keeping the hydrangea and gerbera drinking.

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.

Celosia

Origin

Tropical Africa and Asia

Cultivated since

For centuries across Africa and Asia

Fragrance

Virtually scentless

Symbolises

Boldness, warmth & resilience

Named from the Greek for "burning," Celosia carries flame-like plumes and velvety crested heads that hold their colour for weeks. Its dense, sculptural texture brings depth and contrast to an arrangement, anchoring softer blooms with quiet architectural weight. In an Amicis piece it reads as considered, tactile and unmistakably modern.

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.

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.

Stock

Origin

Mediterranean coast, Spain to Greece

Cultivated since

the 16th century, an Elizabethan favourite

Fragrance

Sweet, clove-like and warm

Symbolises

Lasting beauty & affection

Native to the rocky Mediterranean coast and grown in European gardens since the 16th century, when Elizabethan herbalists prized it, Stock carries a clove-sweet scent that earned it the old name gillyflower. Its dense, ruffled spires bring height, soft colour and a lingering fragrance to an arrangement, filling the spaces between focal blooms with quiet texture.