Where do you find your roses?

General Discussion
1

I know that most here have been growing roses for quite some time. I’m curious as to where you look for or find roses to add to your collections. I’ve managed to gather about 20 different plants from bumping around nurseries and have had some given to me by others from this forum. Do you research what you would like on sites like HMF and then seek those out? Maybe a trip to Burlington would be fun, but I don’t think my checkbook could deal with that. Too many choices and so little time.

Curious minds want to know!

2

Initially, I read Modern Roses 8 (the then current edition), finding things which seemed far too good to be true, but which were never available anywhere. A call to Roses of Yesterday and Today put me in touch with Beverly Dobson and her Combined Rose List, which opened world-wide doors to rose availability. Volunteering at The Huntington Library propagating roses opened even more doors and introduced me to some pretty hard core rose nuts locally, and around the country. Writing articles about some of my “discoveries” and looking for obscure, non existent roses and having them published by the likes of Peter Schneider in his Akron Rose Rambler, followed by its replacement, The American Rose Rambler, expanded my “rose world” dramatically, as did meeting Ralph Moore and being permitted to wander the six acres Sequoia occupied. “Roses Abroad”, Sean McCann’s marvelous column in the ARS magazine, when I was a member, directed me to many very interesting roses, which led to correspondence with and eventually meeting Sean, then his sending me bud wood of some of his odd seedlings.

A few interesting things have been discovered reading Garden Web, though no where near as many as came through the previous sources. But, my tastes have “matured” and focus dramatically sharpened from those earlier days.

Help Me Find replaced Modern Roses and The Combined Rose List and still permits me to find old, rare, new and obscure things for trades and cuttings. Reading this forum introduces me to odd things to research and locate, too. Many roses I’ve been introduced to via all venues have been funneled through Sequoia and a number of other nurseries as well as sold through the Huntington sales for quite a few years back when they actually produced things to sell. Quite a few still populate Burling’s list, which delights me!

Fortunately, through the few Internet lists I participate in, I’ve also met other more “esoteric interest” rose people, through whom I’ve obtained some very odd and interesting things. A few wonderful, local rose friends share the obscure interests and have been instrumental in helping me obtain some fun roses.

My suggestion would be to subscribe to as many lists as you have time and energy for. Definitely research roses through HMF and haunt Vintage’s and Burling’s lists to pick up all the useful things remaining available through them. Don’t be afraid to trade with other rose nuts. Many marvelous roses exist “out there” which aren’t available from any commercial source. The only way they’re going to hang around is for us to propagate and spread them around.

If possible, get involved with any public gardens close enough to you to enable you to participate. Definitely attend larger society auctions such as the Coast Rose Society Auction (if you’re in California) http://www.californiacoastalrose.com/CCRS_Annual_Rose_Auction.html ; botanic garden sales; venues such as the Sacramento Heritage Cemetery http://www.cemeteryrose.org/ sales or any other venues which focus on preservation and distribution of roses which suit your particular climate. Antique Rose Emporium and the rose rustles in Texas might be similar sources for potential rose ‘enabling’. There must be other rose societies around the country which focus on preservation of roses best suited to your area. The Ventura County Rose Society Auctions have been tremendous sources of such roses. There also must be local preservation groups similar to the Sacramento Cemetery group preserving roses suitable to other climates. Many of which might potentially make great breeding material for creating roses perfect for each of our climates.

3

Having started a completely brand new stable this season I can say I looked everywhere without any remorse as to who or where I was buying from. That said, I did end up with a few mis-labeled roses but nevertheless they are all growing.

To my surprise I found PEACE, MR. LICOLN, PASCALI at my local Walmart (under $10). I was also surprised to find THE FAIRY, QUEEN ELIZABETH, and ICEBURG at my local Home Depot. All of the remaining 30+ roses were had for less than $12. on average from various online shops and a local mom-and-pop’s. I got DUTCHER on Ebay for $35. (3 gallon) and Duchesse De Brabant for $20. at a local garden center.

My selections have been based on what I read here on the forum, what I have read online and in periodicals. My initial goal was to work with Hybrid Tea’s but I am finding myself working with ever is very healthy – the best of the best if you will.

Here is the link to the Ebay guy if you are interested. He is a reseller, but has some hard to find (healthy) plants.

Ebay

4

Jeff,

Kim has some good, sound advise. I happen to live within a one hour ride of Elizabeth Park, and Roger Williams Park, and have access to all of the roses growing there. One of the best ways to get roses is by propagating your own from these local garden sources, generous members of the RHA, and local society members. Believe it or not, many local society members discard roses because the roses weren’t exact what they wanted. Others love to share their roses (through cuttings, suckers, etc.) Others change roses like they rearrange furniture. There was just a need for change in their lives. Some of my best roses have been cast-offs from these local society members.

I also try to make at least one order of roses per year from a nursery specializing in rare and/or unusual roses. It helps to keep them in business, and broadens my options when hybridizing. I set a limit on what I want to spend. Every rose I decide to purchase has to have a reason to purchase it. I spend hours researching/discovering the merits/faults of potential purchases. I know that when the new roses come, they won’t be ready to be used until they mature for a while, but I’m in this for the long haul. There’s always time to make that cross later. Very rarely, do I “have” to have a rose NOW.

Andy

5

I look everywhere. Locally I scour all the nurseries as well as all the big box stores. Sometimes I’ll see a post for a rose I HAVE to have and those I usually have to order on line. I do research most of my purchases on HMF first. I like to know a little bit about a rose now before I spend the money. I carry a pad of paper around to the nurseries, write down all the names of what varieties they have and then come home and look them up before I go back and buy. I like doing that anyway because by having to gather the info, come home and then go back I’m much less tempted to over spend or impulse buy something I’ll regret later.

6

Thanks for the input on where you guys hustle a rose or two. I guess llike everything else, networking is the key.

I’m going to try and get to the local rose society meeting here. I met Jim Turner last week at their rose show and was impressed with the variety. That was my first show. I saw lots that I would like to have and I’m sure they have some avid breeders there as well. The San Jose Heritage Rose Garden is about an hour from here, so I may do some volunteering and try and get a cutting or two in the process.

I think I need to sit down and write out what I would like to work with. I have this dream of a yellow crested shrub, but I know Ralph Moore and Paul Barden have spent years without much success. Kim and Paul have helped with a few things toward that end, but I can’t see limiting what I’m willing to try and work with.

7

Jeff,

I have restarted my rose gardens each time I moved (husband is in real estate and property mgmt) and each time I acquired a few roses by accepting cast offs from others, (I was in landscaping, and it is amazing what people throw away), plus every time I designed/installed a rose garden, I usually kept the mislabeled ones. It was when I started hybridizing that I started to research every purchase from HMF among other resources, and I now start cuttings, beg or borrow pollen if it fits into my agendas, and when I purchase roses for a client, I often get an extra one for myself if I am interested in that variety. The people on RHA have been wonderful in shipping cuttings, sometimes rooted, extra seedlings, and pollen, which has greatly expanded my availability. I have made an annual purchase from one source each yr., usually 2-5 roses, from such places as Pickering to Vintage. I like Pickerings’ choices, and share their belief that if a rose cannot grow, or does not sell, then maybe it should not be carried. There are so many choices available, that if a rose requires to be babysat, instead of just growing, it is time to move on to something that is easier in your area. One way to find what grows in your area is to attend rose shows, make lists, do your research, and then try to see them in a public garden that does not supply too much artificial life support. And then buy it if you like it-or get some of its pollen or a cutting, etc.

8

I would agree the the folks on this forum are very generous. I have been given roses, cuttings, pollen and rip hips. I just hope that I will be able to pass on some of the prizes that I have been given.

9

Jeff,

When I moved to Virginia, I bought mostly bagged roses from Home Depot and Lowe’s, Hybrid Teas, which was all I knew about basically.

I did buy 5 ownroot roses from a small local rose nursery based on his recommendation. His thrived. I joined the local rose society. That fall, one of the members gave a talk at his house on how to root roses from cuttings. A group of us attended. At the end he told us to take cuttings of a few roses. I did and had a 100% success rooting them (never to be equalled ). He was into OGRs in a big way.

The next fall he told me to come up and take cuttings if I wished, which I did and for several fall’s after. My tastes changed over the years from healthy to healthy and thornless!. I would say 2/3rds of my collection are roses I rooted from taking cuttings from his garden. This enabled me to then buy from nurseries what was not otherwise available. Roses Unlimited in South Carolina was where I purchased a good number of my collection. Over time I was able to give him rooted cuttings of roses he didn’t have to add to his collection.

Connie Hilker who then started Hartwood Roses in VA started having an annual rose gathering with a pot luck lunch. We all got to know each other and would bring extra plants to give to each other. I visited Myloki’s and Robert’s gardens (both Garden Web members). I brought them plants and also received plants and cuttings. Connie was just starting her rose nursery so I was able to give her some roses which were hard to find and I no longer wanted or extra plants I had rooted from cuttings.

So, there is a continual give and take. You have just relocated. Visiting other people’s gardens is joy. Go to rose gatherings and society meetings. If you learn to root cuttings, that is a great way to increase the collection. Use the money saved to buy roses from the small speciality nurseries which you “just HAVE TO HAVE” . In time, you will be on the giving end. It is like the ebb and flow of the tides.

Good luck in your new location,

Jim P

10

Wonderful, Jim! What you did is exactly what used to be done. “Pass along plants” are heirlooms and often the way many of the rediscovered old roses have survived. I associate the person who shared the rose with me with their rose. I’ve written of several, and each time I encounter their plants, they come flooding back to my memory. Many are now gone, but their roses continually renew their immortality and I frequently share their story with their roses to others. Sharing the oddities and oldies with nurseries is the main way for them to achieve some measure of immortality. I remember Tom Liggett recounting how some “little old lady” heard of his nursery and begged him to please come “rescue” some old rose she had nursed lovingly for decades. That’s how he resurrected his clone of Grey Pearl. I presented a slide show at a Huntington Old Rose Symposium on “Unusual Roses” which prompted Virginia Carlson, who was an Orange County garden writer as well as well known rosarian, to bring me cuttings and blooms of Poppy, the single, orange floribunda from 1960, the following day. She said, “If you like singles, you MUST grow Poppy!”. That’s where that one came from. Virginia grew it for many years and finally found someone to “pass the torch to”.

Too many really good roses (at least somewhere!) roses just can’t be offered commercially as there isn’t sufficient demand for them. Sad, but the state of Nature. So many have been introduced and there is really no way to make sufficient money on someone else’s creation, without a patent on it, to make it worthwhile producing and offering it. Look at what Pickering just did with reducing their offerings. Sequoia had to thin theirs out dramatically. Burling did the same as it just didn’t make any business sense to maintain a flat full of plants she MIGHT sell one or two a year of. But, WE can, just as you have.

11

Actually, the best roses I’ve ever found were in an irrigation ditch on my property! Old Town Longmont is also a Rose Rustlers’ Paradise. I’ll tell you, though, I miss finding roses on the Uncommon Rose website.