Connecting with nature in the winter or colder months can feel more challenging, so working with fresh or dried flowers can help reconnect you by bringing the outdoors in.

Fortunately, if you don't have a garden (or your garden is dormant), you can purchase flowers from your local grocer or online, delivered to your front door.

Fresh flowers can add beauty to your living space and a fresh scent. They also offer hope for what's to come when the weather gets warmer.

Making a simple, fresh flower arrangement is easy and rewarding.

Here's what you need:

• Fresh Flowers and greenery
• A vessel (with water)
• Floral tape (optional)
• Cutting shears
• Water preservative (optional)

Here's how:

1. Decide what you want your arrangement to look like
2. Select your flowers
3. Prepare your vessel and fill it with water about 1/3 full. Add preservative.
4. You may need to tape the top of a wide-mouth vessel in a tic-tac-toe pattern with floral tape to keep your flowers in place.
5. Remove any thorns or leaves that may come in contact with the water. Note: Always cut stems at least 1/4" at the base before placing them in water and cut them at a 45-degree angle.
6. Start by adding your greenery to the vessel.
7. Place your focal flowers into the vessel (these are usually the large flowers)
8. Then, add your filler flowers (the smaller flowers) in and around your focal flowers and greenery.
9. Refill the vessel with water as needed to keep everything fresh for as long as possible.