Use a variety of roses to
create a lovely design.

• A variety of roses in several hues (you'll need between 36 and 50 roses to fill the arrangement, so look for a sale at your florist or buy older, discounted blooms)
• About three large bunches of large geranium leaves (these are not sold commercially, so check friends' gardens; mint leaves make a good substitute)
• Five to eight 1-foot-long willow branches
• A wide, shallow glass bowl
• Florist's tape
• Florist's scissors

1. Make a simple framework to support the individual roses by crisscrossing florist's tape across the lip of the bowl.

2. Wrap willow branches into three or four small balls, and push them through the tape grid into the bowl. (Do these steps in this order, or the willow balls will uncoil while you try to put tape across the opening.) Wayne Woods recommends using willow branches as a support for the arrangement instead of foam because they are more attractive and natural-looking in a glass container.

3. Fill the bowl with lukewarm water.

4. Follow your natural creative inclinations as you place leaves and flowers in the bowl. First, group geranium or mint leaves into clusters and place them randomly in the bowl. Then, add the roses to form a full, round arrangement. Don't overthink their placement; just enjoy the summer-fresh flowers and aroma.