When Norbu was on his way back from trying to get a new bumper for his truck, we called and asked him to pick up "something flexible, stretchy, which can be opened, but which can be tightened around the lotus petals to secure them, and which would also be flat, so the bungy cords wouldn't work because they are round, and the webbing wouldn't work because it isn't flexible...Norbu found some black rubber cords that fit the bill perfectly.