I have noticed a lot of new nurseries starting up. I’m happy to see small businesses making a comeback and wish them well. I don’t expect to be buying very many roses anymore now that my beds are full, so I may not get a chance to try them out, but I wish them the best and hope they can all grow good healthy businesses and operate with integrity. I did try Highgarden Roses recently and they have been pretty good.

Same here, Judi. We may be living in a moment in time where there is a big transition in rose nurseries back to a smaller, more personable approach in the rose world. The winners will be the ones who are not officious, and have real Rosarians as communication personnel, IMHO.

Moses.

I got my order from Sweet Hilltop Farm (a new nursery in Oklahoma) and it was sent promptly and arrived in terrific condition. I had about 18 roses, maybe 8 of which were fully leafed out and wrapped without soil as bare roots and the rest were true bare roots. They both weathered the trip fine and are happily potted up. They intended to send the leafed out ones last November when I ordered them but when I called they were happy to keep them in the greenhouse over the winter.

Terrific communication including a sweet handwritten note with a check for a rose that didn't make propagation. Large Palatine sized bare roots with big roots and healthy canes. I would totally order from them again.

Since people might not find this post under this heading I'll duplicate this on its own separate post. Gotta support the good-uns' in rose vendors!

Cynthia

"Gotta support the good-uns' in rose vendors!"

Well said, Cynthia. It is upsetting to see all these people ordering from shady, unreliable vendors, making excuses for them ("it's just growing pains",etc) Honesty should be rewarded.

Exactly right, Bart Bart. When a new business starts out burning its customers how can it ever erase the occurrences. People have memories like Elephants. Mess with me once, it's your fault, mess with me twice (again), its my fault for being dumb enough to to trust you not to do it again.

Does getting that coveted rose, that no one else has, really matter?

Are you going to risk so much for highly suspicious roses from overseas/foreign sources that come through basically under the radar, possibly carrying who knows what insect or disease that could devastate rose growing here in the USA, or worse yet RAVAGE OUR FOOD CROPS?

Are you willing to deal with a company that has: NO PHONE NUMBER, NO ADDRESS, NO CONTACT PERSON, DOES NOT RESPOND TO A SIMPLE EMAIL INQUIRY, AND HAS NOTHING TO IDENTIFY ITSELF OTHER THAN STUNNING PHOTOS OF UNWORLDLY BEAUTIFUL ROSES?

Enough said for now.

Moses.