Who said Christmas has to be all pine boughs and poinsettias? Not Currier & Ives, clearly, who published this breathtakingly colourful greenhouse fantasy of a generous holiday bouquet. Taken from the collection of John Derian, A Merry Christmas joyously transcends the clichéd palette of greens and reds. As you put it together petal by petal, you can imagine the delight of receiving this basket of living jewels on a snowy Victorian December day.

John Derian is an artist and designer whose work with print