Caring for your Vibe

Keep this arrangement in cool, indirect light and away from the draft of an air conditioner, which the thirsty hydrangea feels first. Hydrangea draws moisture through its petals as much as its stem, so a light misting of the heads revives it quickly when it begins to flag, and it should never be left sitting low on water. Trim the gladiolus on an angle and pinch off any spent lower florets so the upper buds keep opening cleanly along each spire. The chrysanthemum asks for little beyond clean water, though stripping the leaves below the waterline keeps the whole vase clear and the stems drinking well.

A note on your specific blooms

  • Chrysanthemum — Chrysanthemum is sensitive to murky water — strip the lower leaves and refresh it often.
  • Gladiolus — Trim the stem and pinch off the topmost faded buds to push the remaining florets up the spike into bloom.
  • 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 5–9 days, with the bloom you watch fading first setting the pace. The hydrangea is the most delicate of the three, drinking heavily and softening after about 4–7 days, while the gladiolus opens its spires gradually over 7–10 days. The chrysanthemum is the quiet endurer here, often staying crisp for 7–14 days and carrying the arrangement once the showier blooms recede. To stretch the whole display, the single most useful habit is to recut every stem on a sharp angle and refresh the water in your Amicis vase every two days.

The story behind these flowers

A closer look at the blooms gathered into this arrangement.

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.

Gladiolus

Origin

Southern Africa

In European gardens since

the 1700s–1800s

Fragrance

Lightly sweet to virtually scentless

Symbolises

Strength, integrity & remembrance

Named for the Latin gladius, or sword, after its tall, blade-like leaves. Each stem then stacks funnel-shaped blooms that open from the base upward, and that vertical line gives an Amicis arrangement its height and architecture, drawing the eye skyward where rounded flowers would settle flat.

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.