You may remember my issue with Heirloom Roses in 2025, concerning the manner of shipping. It was their recent practice of depotting roses and shipping them with their root mass still within the potting medium, wrapped in a plastic bag. In my case the root mass was shaken loose from its potting medium due to shipping jostling and bad carrier handling. I planted the bush as it was, and it languished all last year. This spring nothing above ground survived winter. Yet, the rose was not dead. It sent up just one spindly cane that bloomed at about 16" tall in late July. The single bloom was tiny, but Madame Annette did bloom. Today the bush is reaching 4' tall.

Ben, you were right. My Madame Annette is putting forth slender, but determined growth. By this time next year, I predict that Madame Annette will be on its way to being a respectably sized ush. Its foliage is 100% pristine, free of any signs of black spot.

Moses.