Sparkling Amaryllis

In every area of life there are those who stand head and shoulders above the crowd. Making a statement. Leading the way. Giving us that comforting feeling of safety. The flower kingdom is no different. For as we swiftly move towards the cold and darkness, that is autumn\ winter. Allow Quintessentially to ease you into defining luxury and to guide you into the strong bold statement that is Amaryllis.

Its name means to sparkle and OH how it sparkles. The true beauty of this flower comes in many guises. We are totally spoilt with the length of the stem, easily standing over 100cm, more or less depending on taste, so this gives you the option to make an impact with a tall arrangement in a larger vase that you may normally struggle to fill. However that’s not to say that this flower isn't going to have just as much impact being cut very short and placed in a small cube vase, it's completely your choice.

The reason behind its versatility is because of the flower itself... Starting off reasonably small, but once open the flower is bold and strong… So strong it doesn't look real… it’s the sort of thing you'd expect to see on a film set on some tropical location. Its presence dominates a room, creating impression and normally lasts a couple of weeks… the only downside is the brittleness of the stem. However our team of florists are skilled enough to arrange them into hand-ties as well as free standing dramatic arrangements.

Simplicity is sometimes key, that’s why we’d opt for 5 stems of deep rich red Amaryllis, 7 stems of Pussy Willow and finished off with some soft Ruscus. This would allow you to maximize the length of the stem. The most popular colours are red, white and pink, and as we head closer towards Christmas (which is only around the corner after all!), Amaryllis are one of those seasonal traditional favorites that add the WOW factor.

However you choose to display your Amaryllis, Quintessentially can guide you into making the right choice.

The Worlds Most Expensive Flowers…

Fancy going that little bit further for that special person? Here is a list of the top 5 most expensive flowers around!

Saffron Crocus - £600 per pound. Despite the Crocus being a fairly average priced flower, this particular variety is far from cheap. Hence the name, the Saffron Crocus makes the Saffron spice, the most expensive spice in the world, costing £600 per pound!

Bouquet consisting of white orchids, white lilies, moonflowers and the root of a 100 year old ficus. £80,000. As well as including luxurious flowers and antique ficus root, this bouquet also contains 90 two-carat red ruby facets, nine one-carat diamonds, and a 21.6-carat star ruby! This stunning pricey bouquet is available to view in the Ruby Plaza, Vietnam.

Gold of Kinabalu Orchid - £3,000 per stem. The endangered species of Orchid, only blooming in April-May, is found only in a specific cornered off area in a Malaysian National Park, making it an extremely rare and pricey flower!

Shenzhen Nongke Orchid - £160,000. This is a man-made Orchid from China, taking 8 years to perfect the variety. It was auctioned at £160,000 in 2005, making it the most expensive flower ever bought.

Kadupul Flower – Priceless! This gorgeous flower tops the lot. It holds a priceless beauty and lasting for only a few hours, even the natives of Sri Lanka rarely have the pleasure to view its beauty. Its short life span gives it an almost magical quality as its divine beauty perishes within hours due to its rare and fragile state.

Autumn’s here!

It’s that time of year again; the leaves are dropping from the trees, covering the streets with rusty orange. Winter jackets and scarves slowly creeping into your everyday wardrobe. That comforting, crisp feeling in the air. It’s a wonderful time for nature with gorgeous colours and textures coming out.

Physalis lanterns are a brilliant texture and shape in an Autumn bouquet or arrangement and fit perfectly with Halloween. Leucospermum, commonly known as pin-cusion, is also a great flower to use in Autumn, coming in shades of orange, red and yellow. And of course the typical plane tree leaf is perfect for creating that cosy, Autumn feel. Having the right colours in your home creates a good atmosphere and will get you into a positive mood for the coming winter.

Why do flowers make us feel so good?

Why do flowers make us feel so good? Even if your day isn’t going as planned, you open the door to a delivery of a beautiful bouquet of flowers just for you, you can’t help but smile!
The sight of flowers is proven to have a positive effect on our mood. Depending on the colours and flowers used, the moods can differ, so choosing suitable materials for an environment is important.
In a working environment, a focused and calm atmosphere is needed. A mix of greens and whites would create a calm vibe and should help with concentration. You could also use violet and purple as they also have a cooling effect. By adding a touch of red or a subtle pink, it would inject a boost of energy into the office.

Electric indigo enhances confidence and clears the mind of unnecessary fears and worries, making it an ideal colour scheme for a meeting room, guest room or waiting area for example, to help break the ice and relax the guests. Stunning Iris or gladioli would be perfect.

Flowers are a fabulous item to have in any environment. They release endorphins, making us feel happier, lightened and chirpy, which is never a bad thing!

General Conditioning for Longer Lasting Flowers…

• Remove packaging
• Cut about an inch off stems at a 45degree angle.
• Remove leaves below water level to avoid contaminating the water.
• Arrange in a suitable vase with appropriate flower food (usually attached to the bouquet)

Suitable conditions vary from flower to flower, for example, anthuriums prefer room temperature, but roses would wilt in warm conditions. (See earlier post for rose revival tips!)
So generally, when choosing the perfect spot for your beautiful flowers, it’s best to avoid direct sunlight, heat, cold draughts and air conditioned rooms. Flowers can be very sensitive to sudden changes in their environment.
Top up the water levels regularly and change the water as often as possible to keep your flowers fresh and lasting, removing any dying flower heads or leaves.

Keep an eye on their condition and you’ll be able to enjoy them in all their beauty for much longer!


Top tip: Avoid putting fruit and flowers next to one another. The fruits produce ethylene gas which affects the longevity of your flowers!

Bluebells in a bottle…

There’s something so magical about walking through the woods in early spring and stumbling across a field full of beautiful bluebells; the delicate blue-violet tone spreading as far as your eye can see. As well as being visually stunning, the bluebells signature scent, so delicate and light yet strong and memorable, is equally as gorgeous…

This fabulous scent is now available to wear! Jo Malone and master perfumer Christine Nagel, have created a Wild Bluebell Cologne in an attempt to preserve the endangered wild flower. Although seemingly abundant, the English bluebell is in fear of being wiped out by the Spanish bluebell. These bluebells have a lighter, less pigmented smell, are paler and don’t have such a delicate droop. The English bluebell’s endangerment is also due to people illegally collecting these beautiful droplets, trying to capture some of their sweetness. The Wild Bluebell Cologne is to be launched this Autumn and allows you to have their scent with you whenever you please so we can leave these enchanting flowers to flourish in their natural environment.

Gorgeous Amaranthus, caudatus

This fabulous draping flower, also known as ‘Love lies bleeding', comes in two beautifully rich colours, fresh green and rich burgundy red. Its natural cascading structure makes it the perfect material to drape over the edge of a large pedestal arrangement, giving the feeling of luxurious abundance. The vibrant pigment against the lime green foliage is an extraordinary contrast which adds to the beauty and unique appeal of the amaranthus flower.

Available in Summer and Autumn, it’s right in season and looks fabulous in a grand entrance hall or beautiful dining room. Although the amaranthus doesn’t have a strong aroma, its colour and indulgent style is enough to bring a luxurious atmosphere to any room.