1. Do your research. Get to know roses. Where do they grow? What do they look like? Why should you care? Learn to recognize a rose as opposed to, say, a thistle, from ten paces away.
2. Clear your schedule. Dedicate at least half the day.
3. Wear appropriate shoes. Landscape can be tricky, especially for those unaccustomed to being out-of-doors.
4. Bees! Don't forget the EpiPen.
5. Hang up and turn off your cell phone. Yes, really!
6. Clear your head of all extraneous thoughts, except the one about where you parked.
7. Obtain all necessary permissions, pay entrance fees and visit the rest room one last time.
8. Single out a rose that you find attractive. Lean in and put your nose close to the soft, colorful pedals. Caution: Avoid the thorns. They are not fragrant, and will slice your nostril right open. (But, of course, you'll know this if you do your research. See step 1.)
9. Inhale deeply, trying not to cough, sneeze or lose your balance.
10. Equate the pleasant aroma with joie de vivre, the joy of living. Hold that thought. Hold it longer. Done.
