Could your home use a little color and some brightening up? Freshly cut flowers give you lots of possibilities. You don't need any gardening experience, a green thumb or creative talent to get great looks with flowers; just go buy some. Of course, you can always stop by your favorite florist to get some do-it-yourself ideas or help with selecting flowers. But why not create your own look?

Every room in the house could use an arrangement of freshly cut or dried flowers — or why not a combination of both? Don't wait for someone else to buy you flowers: start a DIY project.

Fresh flowers will make any room feel special. Displaying roses or your loved one's favorite flowers can add a touch of romance to a room. You can also buy flowers simply because they match the wallpaper or because you're having friends over.

Do you have a home office, or do you spend so much time at the office that it seems like home? Either way, flowers will make a tough day at work seem easier. The fragrance of flowers also helps lift the spirit, but scents smell different to everyone, so don't go overboard on fragrance at work.

Any bottle, jar, cup, pitcher or old boot deep enough to hold water can be used as a vase. Once, I needed a vase big enough to hold more than two-dozen roses. I was in a hurry and went to the grocery store, where I found an ordinary half-gallon water jug. It was clear plastic with a twisted shape so it looked like it was made from glass or crystal. I unscrewed the lid and filled it with the roses, It worked perfectly.

Cut flowers are easy to buy and care for. Look for flowers, especially roses, that have tight, compact buds that are just beginning to open. With flowers like mums, look for a bouquet where the flower buds are unopened at the center of the disc. Hold up the stems to see if the leaves are wilted, discolored or broken. Keep the flowers cool and shaded until you can get them into a vase.

Before putting them in a vase, cut the bottom inch off the stem (or more if necessary to fit the vase). Make the cut at an angle so the stem does not rest flat on the bottom. Use fresh cold water and change the water every day, or as soon as it gets cloudy. If the water gets low, fill the vase with new water rather than just adding fresh water on top. Use any flower additive packets that come with the bouquet, as they help the bouquet stay fresh longer. To lengthen the bouquet's life span, cut off another inch of the stem after a couple of days.

Some people say that adding clear soft drinks or aspirin to the water will lengthen the vase life, but the scientific evidence is still a bit sketchy. If it works for you, go ahead.

Try new flower varieties and display methods. If an individual flower head breaks off the stem, just put it in a shallow bowl and use it as a table accent. If the vase is large and the flowers start to droop, add marbles, pebbles or packing peanuts to the vase. They are great for holding stems in place and upright and they can add a pop of color to the display.

Fresh flowers can last anywhere from one to two weeks. If you get into the habit of buying flowers and develop a friendly relationship with a florist, ask when the shipments of flowers arrive so you can buy the freshest ones.

In other parts of the world, fresh cut flowers are part of almost every home, but in the states we tend to use them just for special occasions. Why not brighten your winter landscape and buy some flowers today?

Email questions to Jeff Rugg at [email protected]. To find out more about Jeff Rugg and read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate website at www.creators.com.