“You know those Don Juan types...”

That is an impressive vertical leap, especially for a 3 gallon climber. Was he outfitted in those new high tech Nikes?

I am reminded of Abebe Bikila.

I don’t know of any retail nurseries that carry bareroot roses in New England. IME they only carry grafted plants. I have gotten bare root roses via mail order.

Also, March is a bit early to plant roses in New England, even in the Boston metro area. The soil will still be cold and delay root growth, and we sometimes get snow in late April, though not commonly that late. I remember getting stuck in metro Boston by 18” or so of heavy wet snow coming back from a last week in April vacation.

Reputable New England nurseries do not carry bareroot roses. You will find cheap body bag roses in the spring, and Don Juan may be among their number.

Bareroot roses coming mail order should arrive middle of April at the latest. The idea is that they are planted when still dormant, and break dormancy in their new home. Getting snowed on it just part of the drill.

I grant mad gallica her expertise in roses, though perhaps it depends on where one is in New England. My soil typically isn’t thawed until well into April, and so nothing can be planted yet. ;>)

Bareroot roses aren't planted in early spring, but late winter. So as soon as the soil is thawed and dried out enough to work. If this happens too late in the season, say May, the roses should be started in pots so they have enough time to grow roots before winter.

Boston area is roughly on my timeline. When we went to Mike Lowe's garden in Nashua, it tended to be about a week behind us. Since I usually get bareroots around April 1st, and have gotten then a bit late some years, middle of April sounds like a good cutoff for Boston to me.

Of course, a nursery like Palatine knows when the roses should be shipped given that year's conditions.