Deciduous trees and shrubs that flower in winter or early spring are a bouquet maker's dream. Snip a few small branches when the first buds have just opened or are just showing color, put them in a deep vase filled with water, and watch as the pink, white, or yellow blooms unfurl exactly as they would on the tree. (Follow proper pruning practices when cutting off branches; never leave stubs.)

Try this technique with an apple, apricot, cherry, or plum, or a shrub such as flowering quince or forsythia.