Winter flowers may not seem too unusual: you can find grand bouquets of amaryllis, eucalyptus and poinsettia in most florists at this time of year. Bold, brash and imported, these frequently scarlet (and occasionally glitter-tipped) blooms must compete with tinsel to be considered worthy of table space – and have a carbon footprint to match. Social media tutorials on garlands, which rely on plastic pine and spruce, are on the rise. These are not helping anyone become more environment-conscious this Christmas. But look outside and there may be plenty of winter flowers many of us overlook. Hellebores, for instance (more on those in the new year), or forced narcissus (how are yours coming along?). There’s also the cheery courage of violas and pansies (edible, so you can add them to cocktails) and the ethereal dangle and divine scent of witch hazel. We are woefully behind in ignoring seasonality and sourcing when it comes to cut flowers. As with food, when we shift our expectations of what floral offerings can be, we uncover whole new depths of beauty. Change, however, is afoot. This week, in London, a remarkable and quietly radical new exhibition is showcasing a different kind of Christmas magic. The Garden Museum’s first Winter Flowers Week (until 11 December) is full of ideas from pioneering florists that may change how we deck the halls in future. The flowers and foliage on show are British-grown and seasonal. Florist Shane Connolly, perhaps best known for his work at royal weddings and funerals, has brought the heady scent of viburnum, chimonanthus and jasmine into the museum alongside a monochrome garland of dried flowers painted in an all-natural off-white hue by Edward Bulmer. Chelsea flower show regular Hazel Gardiner has channelled the idea of retreat and reflection at Christmas with her sweeping installation around the museum’s baptistry. It is a refreshing antidote to Santa’s grotto: a quietly mystical candlelit space engulfed in branches and vegan fragrance from perfumer Maya Njie. The restaurant Sketch’s Christmas florist, Carly Rogers, has conjured dramatic vistas with an undulating sculpture of British fresh-cut pine that boldly reimagines the Christmas tree; while Tattie Rose Studio has a beautiful wooden sleigh and bedecked it with moss and candles. Among all the throwaway, but grimly eternal, plastic, tinfoil and glittery wrapping paper screaming for attention this year, Winter Flowers Week is something rare and special: a bit of evergreen festive inspiration – and hope. After another 12 months of conflict, uncertainty and anxiety, there is plenty to reflect on among these boughs and branches, the whispers of a resolution: to appreciate seasonal flowers, even in the depths of winter.