I don't know if it is recent enough for your survey, but I ordered 3 roses from them in fall 2011. I requested fall delivery - the roses arrived the beginning of December, if I remember correctly. I was pleased with the size and condition of all three plants, and all three were the correct varieties when they bloomed spring 2012.

I am not positive, but I think that I've noticed that people who receive plants earlier in the shipping season have posted more positive results, while those that receive plants later in the season have been more likely to be unhappy. I'm really not sure that this is the case - it just seems like it might be the trend from the limited number of reviews that I have read.

My roses from Hortico, a sizable order, arrived about a month ago. I was completely happy with them - green canes, well packed, healthy plants. I have ordered from them for years with none of the problems others have spoken of. I would order from them again without a backward glance.
Judith

I placed an order for 4 hard-to-find Austin roses (Cressida, English Garden, William Morris, and Claire Rose) in early fall and requested November delivery. The cost of the roses was $14.99 and the shipping was reasonable, around $10 for all 4. Like you, I have read that a number of very experienced rose growers who frequent these forums, have had terrible experiences with orders from this company. Specifically, receiving mis-labeled roses and/or specimens that were either dead (or nearly dead) or very small and of sub-standard size. My expectations were not terribly high, but I was willing to take the risk, hoping that even half of the roses sent would be viable and correctly labeled.

I received an email in November, stating they were having some minor problems in shipping their November orders. The roses arrived in early December. I was very pleased with the condition and size of the plants sent. They don't look like the many of the roses produced in the US, which are grafted onto Dr. Huey rootstock and with thick canes (perhaps 1/2 inch to 1/4 inch thick). The roses sent are grafted onto Rosa multiflora rootstock and have twiggy canes that are mostly in the 1/8 to 1/4 inch range and around 12 inches long. The number of canes in my specimens are in the range of 5 to 10 canes per plant and are all plump and loaded with axillary buds that are on the verge of breaking now. The roots are also of smaller caliper and are very plentiful. The length of the roots averaged 10-12 inches, but there were some roots 15 inches or longer. The plants are of the size that I have received from Pickering Nurseries (another Canadian company) that also grafts onto Rosa multiflora. I know that some have problems with roses grafted onto this rootstock, but I have had nothing but favorable results in growing roses on this rootstock in 2 locations in CA for over 10 years.

I have a book that has detailed, closeup photos of the leaves, stems, and flowers of 3 of the 4 roses that I ordered. The prickles/thorns of one of these specimens (Cressida) do not match the photos in the book (nor my memory of this rose which I have grown in the past). I have contacted Hortico explaining my concern; they responded the next day, stating that I should plant the rose and take a photo of the flowers and send it to them. They said that they would replace it if it wasn't the right rose.

I do know that many others have had poor experiences with this company in the past, to the point that they have stated that they may never again order from them regardless of more recent reports of favorable experiences. I can certainly understand their frustration. I am all but certain that all my specimen, now in 5 gallon pots with good potting soil, will survive. It remains to be seen how many of them will turn out to be the correct variety, and how the company will resolve the problem if some turn out to be mislabeled. At this point, I am pleased with my experience and hopeful that most will be of the correct variety. Only time will tell if my optimism is justified.

Thank you for all the positive feedback!!!
I think I am confident enough to go ahead and place an order. I just won't have any high expectations and can't get too mad when the roses are so cheap.

Thanks for all the info John. It will be interesting to grow roses on a different rootstock, hopefully there won't be too many issues as the roses get older.

For me, I'm going to order Country Living, Cressida, Claire Rose, Constance Spry, & The Squire.

Alright, so my hortico order arrived today. It was about a month late due to the cold weather in Canada I was told; but I must say that I am very pleased with my order. I was expecting band sized plants since I couldn't find on the site what sizes the roses were shipped as, but these roses are totally beautiful and large. They are basically the size of what David Austin ships out. I took some pictures so everyone can see how Hortico totally changed their image. I received Claire Rose, Country Living, Constance Spry, Cressida, The Squire, St. Cecilia, Wife of Bath, & St. Swithun. I will for sure use Hortico again for future roses.

Brian

Im happy you had a good experience with them I've never had a problem with them either. My recent order had shipping problems, but it was of no fault of Horticos. I noticed that of my order of 28 this season, they actually gave me a reduced price of $8.50 on three that were smaller. There customer service was also very helpful and allowed me to add to my order and move shipping dates around after my initial order. Sounds like they are getting their act together :)

Tammy

I agree totally with Tammy. We both had shipping problems (or customs problems), but when my roses finally arrived, after two weeks on the road, they were viable and looked a lot like the roses above. Certainly, they were better packed than Edmund's were last year. But Hortico is so far away from me, that in the future, I've decided to have my roses sent by air. Diane

I'm in Toronto, close to Hortico. I ordered three roses in September 2013 and didn't receive them until the first week of December - I was told this was due to the particularly warm and wet November we had. When they arrived they were well-packed, hadn't dried out, and were large and healthy looking, with several canes. I can't say more yet, but I do hope they make it through the winter, which has already been unseasonably cold! Customer service was good, not outstanding (they didn't call me to tell me about the lateness of the delivery, but they returned my call quickly and were courteous and helpful).

I hope what everyone has said so far is correct--because I just sent in a small order to them for the upcoming spring!

Let's all cross our fingers! : )

Kate

I would like to add to my comment of last January 2013. Yes, I was pleased with my roses, I potted them up, they all grew well. Until I realized that fully 8 out of the group were NOT the roses I ordered. Two were huge rootstock - you should see the one I ordered as Cressida - HUGE, thorny, not a single bloom - obvious rootstock. Same with Magenta. Others were just not the roses they were supposed to be. I called them - they will replace the roses but I have to pay shipping. I find this unfair. I did not get the product I ordered and paid for, then have to pay double shipping to get more roses - and who knows if those will be correct? I plan to order the roses and will just pay the shipping but not sure I will order from them again. For those of you who do order, just make sure you check carefully to see if you actually got what you ordered. I have heard this about them before, but have never gotten stung until now. Not happy about it........
Judith

Judith -- Thanks for the follow-up on your 2013 Hortico order. Scrolling through this thread, I was beginning to conclude that I alone had been stung by Hortico.

The more things change and "improve" at Hortico, the more things seem to remain the same with that vendor. I've been lulled into giving them several "second chances". Never again. Never . . .