Brighten up January with flowering bulbs and funky plants

After taking down the Christmas decorations and the tree (which I cut up to burn on the stove –pine burns really well, with a satisfying crackling as the flames hit the sap), the house looks bare and boring.

It's time for a New Year re-run of bringing in the greenery, that fine old pagan custom we all participated in before Christmas. At this time of year, we can be forgiven for getting ahead of ourselves, season-wise, by bringing in spring-flowering bulbs – not least because almost everything in the garden is frost-chewed and blackened.

If you don't have your own bowl or pot of bulbs that you've been preparing for weeks, then supermarkets are a good source. My pot of Paperwhite narcissi and white hyacinths are from Tesco, £1.50 and £2.50 respectively. They were in pale-pink paper pots, a colour I hate, so I've wrapped them in newspaper (thought that was appropriate for the Paperwhites), but you could use leftover wrapping paper, brown paper, tissue paper... Just cut strips, wrap around the pot and secure with sticky tape. It doesn't have to be perfect; it's not permanent.

The pointy green shoots pushing up from the soil are an annual reminder of the renewal of life, the flowers are bright and cheerful, and the scent!

This isn't just something to do at home. Buy a pot of bulbs for your desk, or try a succulent. These tough little plants are brilliant for a dry, unhealthy office environment. The idea of greening the indoors after Christmas is one that Dobbies garden centres subscribe to, and the company has a great range of interesting – not too large – plants in interesting pots.

I have their cactus in a star-design pot (£3.99), which has withstood freezing temperatures in my bay window for the past couple of months, but there are all kinds of angular containers, including a mini-greenhouse frame, and terrariums.

Scott Provan, Dobbies houseplant buyer, has a tip for displaying your plants: 'When arranging plants for display, trios work best, with a mixture of heights. Use your tallest plant at the back and softer textures at the front. Try mixing up cacti and succulents.'