Sensational Seasonal Arrangements

Successful arrangements take into account the essence and form of each individual flowers. Nature need not be overdesigned. The trend has moved away from using a plethora of hothouse flowers toward what is fresh, natural, and available in season. It is possible to create an element of surprise without shocking the eye. And bigger isn't always better; sometimes all it takes is a single rose bending from a classic crystal bud vase to appreciate every leaf, petal, and even thorn of a flower. Many appealing arrangements hardly look "arranged." Flowers look most impressive when they are displayed in a manner that respects their inherent qualities and beauty, rather than on e that exhibits the ego and demands of the arranger. Bouquets can be made with a single type of flower, a variety of flowers in the same shade, or a fanfare of colors and blooms that mimics the wild beauty of a country garden.

Spring

Just around the time we can't bear to put on our heavy coats and gloves for yet another dreary day, daffodils and tulips start to poke their heads through the cool ground to remind us that hope springs eternal and warmer days are on the way.

• Branches of forsythia, dogwood, and cherry make a sculptural display in tall glass vases.
• White tulips, long a favorite with decorators, nod their heads from flowerbeds and look refreshing bowing out of ironstone pitchers.
• Violets and pansies, with their shorter stems, can peer out of eggcups or water glasses.
• Some of the most fragrant flowers in nature--lilies of the valley, hyacinths, and lilacs--make appearances in spring gardens. Bring their aromas indoors to render potpourri and scented candles unnecessary.

Summer

In summer, the heat intensifies--and so do the colors of the garden. Everything from linen dresses to no-cook meals to our pared-down interiors reflect our desire for looseness, lightness, and plenty of cool breezes. Floral arrangements should also be light-handed but abundant, in keeping with the carefree attitude of the season.

• Gardeners can flaunt their talents with an arrangement made from backyard foliage such as hosta, philodendron, elaeagnus, palm, and nandina. Their leafy blades and shoots look at home whether gathered in silver urns, rustic pottery, or bamboo containers. Play up line, texture, and shape while staying true to the nature of the materials.

Autumn

Autumn signifies the slowing down of new growth, as plants and leaves leisurely find their way back to the earth. But it's also a time for rejuvenation. A walk through the woods in crisp fall air will yield a number of surprises: a cluster of galax, a clump of moss, a riot of color in the trees.

• Flowers blooming in an autumn garden mimic the fiery reds, yellows, and oranges of falling leaves. In the South, many roses take a second turn at blooming, yielding an abundance of blossoms to fill enamelware pitchers or olive jars. Gourds such as pumpkins and squashes spilling out of a cornucopia or from a twig basket add a touch of harvest color to the table. Scooped-out pumpkins make containers that are seasonally appropriate and becoming counterparts to arrangements of roses or zinnias.

Winter

There may be no time of the year when we need flowers in our interiors more than winter, when much of the garden is dormant and cold temperatures keep us from spending a great deal of time outdoors. It's a great season for forcing bulbs, such as fragrant hyacinths and paperwhites, and for incorporating flowering plants, such as orchids or kalanchoes, in containers around the house. The holidays have become synonymous with poinsettias, and although some style setters have proclaimed them to be hopelessly out of fashion, they are an easy way to enliven a room, especially en masse (just remove the foil wrappers and bows and use cachepots or terra-cotta pots). There are a number of varieties―with new ones emerging every year―in colors that range from white to yellow to pink and, of course, the standard red.