Sweet fragrances and sunrise colors fill this vase with bright promise for the New Year. Kumquats and limes evoke a tropical getaway, as do lush blossoms of phalaenopsis orchids (available at many supermarkets). The perfumes of paperwhite narcissus and jasmine are a surefire pick-me-up. As you make the arrangement, insert the sturdy citrus branches before adding the delicate flower stems. For a final touch, let some jasmine trail down the side.

Unlike Narnia, where it's always winter and Christmas never comes, this land of ice and snow welcomes festivities (soundtrack: Louis Armstrong's "Cool Yule"). A combination of vintage and contemporary vessels holds white spider mums as well as seeded eucalyptus (available at florists) and blue Atlas cedar branches lightly frosted with silver floral spray paint. For a change of scene, line up containers across a mantel, along a windowsill, or down the middle of a table.

Stiff long-stemmed roses can seem as generic as a drugstore valentine. But a few flourishes transform the cliche into a caress. The impromptu charm of a variegated rose (here, white-and-pink 'Henri Matisse') highlights the intensity of its crimson companions. For an informal profusion of blooms, cut the stems short and at staggered lengths. Another good trick (for this and many other arrangements): Let flowers and foliage gently hang over the edge of the container. This eliminates the dividing line between vase and arrangement, resulting in a softer look.

For this arrangement, the color inspiration came from a beautiful box of French macarons, grouping lots of small bunches of pistachio, petal-pink, and peach carnations.

Amaryllis are tropical plants, native to South America, that will make a beautiful and simple addition to your home during the holidays.

Martha grows a lot of amaryllis in her greenhouse. "Because it is difficult to display the flowers with the bulbs, I often cut the flower stalks and use them in bowls (sometimes I fill out the arrangements with purchased blooms), says Martha. "When combined with Southern magnolia leaves, these burgundy- centered cream-white flowers make a striking arrangement."

Capable of much more than just filling space, baby's breath is actually most impressive on its own. Buy a mass of it or set aside some from other bouquets, and then group it into a soft and blurry cloud, grounding the stems in cleverly concealed blocks of floral foam.

Designed to replicate exotic blooming trees, this poetic display is an illusion contrived by securing blossoms to buckthorn branches. Bursts of color electrify the wood and its surrounding space, making an ideal -- if ephemeral -- setting for entertaining.

Ubiquitous, inexpensive, and long lasting, carnations possess gorgeous petals -- and distracting sepals attached to the stems. Clustering the blooms, whether monochromatic or multihued, into a dense dome plays up the flowers' prettiest feature.

How to Make a Dome
Soak five blocks of floral foam in water. Line up three in a shallow bowl. Center another on top. Cut last block in half crosswise, placing half on each side of stack. Trim carnation stems to two to three inches, and stick into top block. Continue, from top to bottom, trimming as needed to fill out the dome.

A mixed bouquet is artfully rearranged among a dozen slender vases, freeing each bloom to flaunt its beauty. Much is made of long stems, but trimming them to staggered heights lets individual roses stand out.