Right up front: I do not have a green thumb. I actually have a black thumb. I have flowers in my yard for only two reasons: (1) I've tried to choose plants that do well in poor conditions and (2) some of them have survived and even thrived without much help from me. Most of the credit for their success has to go to Mother Nature.

Since Mother Nature can't be counted on when it comes to houseplants (for example, rain is not a good thing indoors), plants don't do well in my house. But I need something green and growing during the winter! Here are some of the plants I've found that do well even for me.

First, a couple of foliage plants that put up with watering just when they wilt and not much light are peace lily and philodendron. The peace lily will even keep blooming for a few years after you buy it. (It might even bloom after that if you fertilize it, but that's something I wouldn't know about.)

Second, you can buy a couple of flowering bulbs that always bloom (at least once): amaryllis and paperwhites (narcissus). Note: You can grow other bulbs such as tulips and crocuses indoors, but those have to be chillled for a certain number of weeks, which is way too much trouble for me. Amaryllis and paperwhites are the only ones I know of that don't have to be chilled.

Being a cheapskate, I keep my eye out and try not to pay more than $5 for bulbs. That will get you one amaryllis bulb or multiple paperwhite bulbs. (Gift idea: If you get a good deal on paperwhite bulbs, plant a few of them in small pots to give away.) Keep an eye out all winter—sometimes you can get them on clearance in the early months of the year.

One of the reasons I try to pay as little as possible for these bulbs is I've never succeeded in getting an amaryllis to bloom more than once. Paperwhites, however, will bloom the following year(s) if you plant them outside in the spring.

Cheapskate tip: Never buy potted tulips that have already bloomed, no matter how cheap they are! They will not bloom again.

Another winter flowering plant I love is Christmas (aka Easter) cactus. Unfortunately I haven't had a lot of luck getting them to rebloom, either. The key elements are supposed to be plenty of water and indirect light; never mind that business about sticking them in a closet in October or whatever it is you're supposed to do. I've never had much luck no matter what I've done, but they're so pretty I pick up a cheap new one every once in a while just to enjoy the flowers.

Poinsettias? I try to pick one up every December, but again I look for the cheapest I can find. Trying to get them to bloom again is way too much trouble for me. I water mine until spring, put it out on the patio when I plant the pots out there, and let it freeze in the fall (if it's made it that long).