Roses come in a wide variety of colors and several different sizes. Sweetheart roses have seven or eight buds on a stem. Tea roses have much larger flowers on long stems, sometimes up to 24 inches. Floribunda roses have as many as 20 flowers on a branch along with buds. Whatever type of rose you've grown, or received as a gift, arrange them to show off their beauty to the fullest.

Single Roses

Arranging single roses is probably the easiest and quickest way of all. Place each rose in a matching bud vase and align the vases down the middle of a table, a credenza or a coffee table. Stagger the height of the rose stems so the roses increase in height from the outer vases to the tallest roses in the center vases. Wine glasses can be used instead of the votive candle holders. Use short votive candle holders instead of bud vases. Roses make lovely napkin rings at a formal dinner party. Roll the napkin tie with a ribbon that matches or contrasts with the napkin and slip a rose behind the ribbon.

Tall Vases

Roses simply cut all to the same length and displayed in a tall vase are beautiful by themselves. Add greenery for a fuller effect. Silver dollar eucalyptus branches look pretty with roses because the round shape of the leaves echoes the roundness of the rose blossoms. Criss-cross the eucalyptus branches in the vase first, and arrange the roses' stems last using the criss-crossed branches to hold them in place. Tiering the roses in a vase looks difficult but really isn't. The vase should barely be big enough to hold the roses. Cut three rose stems to 15 inches; for example, four stems to 12 inches and five more stems to 9 inches. The tallest roses go in the back of the vase, with the 12-inch roses in front of them and the 9-inch roses in the very front of the vase. Tie the roses together right below their blossoms, and then again 6 inches from the flowers. As the roses open, they'll form a rounded shape that looks like a topiary of roses. Combine the roses with contrasting fruit in the vases. Fill the vase with sliced or whole fruits and water, and slip in the stems of the roses. Purple roses look lovely with small lemons in the vase. Try white roses with a vase filled with cranberries. The same color of rose and fruit can be used as well. For example, pair orange roses with kumquats.

Unusual Vases

Anything that is watertight, or can be made watertight by fitting a container inside it can be used as a vase. Fill a heart-shaped baking pan with floral foam. Cut the roses to 3 inches long, or about 1 inch higher than the cake pan. Stick the stems of the roses in the foam to completely cover the surface. You'll soon have a blooming heart. Hollowed-out fruit makes a cute vase. The green of watermelon would be pretty with pink roses. A pumpkin would set the scene for fall filled with orange, burgundy and yellow roses. Try apples, grapefruits, lemons or even a pineapple for a vase. It may be necessary to take a thin slice off the bottom of the fruit so that it doesn't wobble.