Rose catalog expectations

18 years ago

I expect a rose catalog to have lists of roses.

(And if it's only a list, that's ok. I've got the references to see if what I want is there.)

BUT when a catalog goes past being a list that relies in part on my knowledge, then the catalog should get things right.

Roses should be labeled correctly.

Wayside of old would often get the colors wrong on at least one Romantica each season. With their part-owners recent acquisition of J&P, I expected improvements. There are new roses (from J&P, no surprise). And danged if they don't have a good picture of some blooms of Double Delight, except they are labeled The McCartney Rose. (And TMCR is labeled DD.

Then there's the matter of exclusives. If you tell me a rose is exclusive to you, it ought to be. Many exclusives are in the mind of the catalog maker and there only.

"New" should be, well, um, like, new. As in not old. So Waysides calling Angel Face, Brandy, Our Lady of Guadalupe, and Sheer Bliss "New" makes me wonder who is responsible for the accuracy of their text.

And finally, this bit about selling tree roses, aka Standards. Shouldn't they tell what it will take to keep these pricey plants alive in colder climates, rather than saying that a brochure with the how to keep them alive will be included with every plant?

That old newspaper dictum "Just the facts" should apply.

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Comments (7)

sc_gardener
18 years ago
Speaking of catalogs, where are they? Pickerings has not arrived yet. And I am noticing on their site that lots of roses are already sold out.
diane_nj 6b/7a
18 years ago
Well, that would mean "new" to them. Although, I am sure that Wayside offered Angel Face before. Revisionist history...

I was going to comment on all of the J&P roses that are showing up in their catalog now that they are, well, not quite siblings, I guess step-siblings.

Some of that is just bad copy editing. Others, not so much.

SC, Pickering's catalog came out last fall when they opened for ordering. Most of the rest of them send out their catalog and open for ordering in the fall too. That's when many of us put in our orders, September - December, for delivery the following spring. Wayside comes out in the winter. J&P usually send out their first rose-intensive missive in December.

You can download a PDF version of the Pickering catalog at the link below. But, as you mentioned, some varieties are already sold out.

Here is a link that might be useful: Pickering Catalog
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lynnette
18 years ago
I seem to remember that Pickering said something about not sending printed catalogues out. Does that ring a bell with anyone? the reason I remember is that I like to brouse through a rose catalogue, make a ridiculously long list and then try to slim it down. To me on line PDF just isn't the same. I think that many more on line merchants will be doing the same, thanks to the high cost of mailing.
jim_east_coast_zn7
18 years ago
Ann,
Got my catalog today and was browsing through it; caught the Double Delight and McCartney rose mistake. I think they even have Queen Elizabeth listed as "New". Agree with Diane, I think it means 'new to them' and 'for this year'.

Sad but I guess I have gotten immunized to Parks/Wayside these days; look at it for the pretty pictures. . Now if you really wanted to see a catalog that called it as it is, you should have seen the old Parks seed catalog when the grandparents were still alive.. I was only a youngster when I got my first copy and it was like a moment of revelation. Little pictures on thin paper but what variety and totally truthful. For me it set the standard.
Jim
anntn6b
Original Author
18 years ago
I did get the Pickering Catalogue late last summer. We used to pick one up, hot off the presses in late June (when we'd go north to see first bloom.) This year it was much, much later.
And they had either consolidated their mailing list or dropped off my older address which hadn't ordered in several years. (I used to get two copies)
J&P also sent a single catalog this year instead of the usual four.
And so far nothing from DA Ltd.

I do appreciate vendors who have a list that's a fast download pdf as well as a detailed offering on line, but that's just my slow landline.
buford
18 years ago
Well the J&P Catalog looked like the Wayside catalog so...

In the interest of recycling and the environment, they should just get it over with and only send one catalog.
diane_nj 6b/7a
18 years ago
I agree, and so should Jung and Edmunds...