(Photo: Tamara Staples)

The Best Bet
You don’t have to wait until spring to bring a little cheer into your home. Paperwhites are one of the easiest flowers to grow early, and bulbs are only $1.75 each at Smith & Hawken (394 W. Broadway, nr. Spring St.; 212-925-1190; www.smithandhawken.com). Half-fill a three-to-four-inch pot (no drainage holes) with pebbles, place the bulbs on top, then surround them with more pebbles. Add water to just below bulb level—but no higher, or they’ll rot—put them in a sunny room until they flower, then move them to a cool area with indirect light in order to prolong life. Don’t forget to gaze at the tiny white petals and smell that fragrant, spring-is-here scent.