Maryl -- Soutine is a really nice rose and worth all of your efforts to obtain it. Cliff has a gazillion roses on his new list that were never on his nursery list because he is selling his mother plants now. He just never had the time or energy to propagate from all of his mother plants. The "for sale" list, however, is usually out of date as soon as he prints it, as he is a one-man operation and if an order comes in for that particular mother plant (of which he will generally have just one), then it may be gone. He is doing his very best to keep up with all requests. He doesn't have any of Vintage's plants on this list -- these are his own offerings.

Please give it a go and see how it works out. The worst that can happen is that someone else got your desired plant because you weren't quick enough. He will not charge you unless he has a plant to send you that is one that you have expressed a willingness to buy.

Good luck,

Kathy

Maryl, what Kathy said. In addition, regarding order and purchase, just read through the offering slowly, there is a LOT of info to digest!

Regarding the order:
"Once you've gone through the lists of roses in pots and in the garden and know what you'd like to order, the ordering process is quite simple.

Send an email to: cliff.eurodesertroses@yahoo.com
In the subject line, type "Rose Order"

In the message, provide the following:
-names of the roses you'd like to order
-names of alternate roses in the event your choices are unavailable (we will not come back to you asking for alternates if your choices are not available and you have not listed alternates)
-your name
-complete shipping address
-your email address, should we need to contact you

We ask for your understanding in not sending inquiries, as it is unlikely we'll be able to respond. We expect to be working full-time and more locating, packing and shipping roses.

Regarding payment:
"We carefully wrap your bare root roses and ship them parcel post. Shipping costs for the bare root roses recently shipped have run from roughly $5.00 per plant for small to medium size plants shipped to customers in the western states to a high of $25.00 per plant for a large plant shipped to the east coast. We are not able to provide shipping costs until the plants have been dug up, bare rooted, packed and shipped. After your roses have been shipped we will let you know the total amount due, including shipping. Payment is then due and may be made by check or by Master Card or Visa."

I would also echo that I hope as many folks that can order do and to please be patient with the process. It is a ginormous task even for a person in robust health and even though he has a little help.

To get the ball rolling, perhaps you have an aunt, a pet or a hobby that would have a namesake rose. Last time I was out I got Royal Albert Hall as we are bit blues & Joe Bonamassa fans. My impulse purchase was Peter Cottontail, I couldn't help myself! =:-)

While I certainly didn't inspect every plant. I can also vouch that everyone of the hundreds that I did say are healthy, robust plants. Took the DH out two months or so ago so he could get Rock & Roll which he fell in love with last Mother's Day Open House. While it was one of the potted offerings, we did have to trim it down to get it in the truck. It has not skipped a beat with the transplant and is bushing out nicely. I also got Tina Marie (sport of GramHat).

I would also encourage as many as can to try to pick up some of the roses not in commerce. Goodness knows, they won't be for a long, long time. *When* the market gets better, at least they might be collected via HMF for commerce again rather than what we now know is a tedious, *expensive* import process.

Good hunting!!!
Kerin

Alright, I sent my short list in and almost immediately got this e-mail back from Cliff:
"I am traveling through March 23 and will respond upon my return."

Maryl

I have gone a little crazy, since I can't believe we are losing Cliff's roses. Thank goodness Vintage will have many of them. Anyway, first I got five bands last month. Then, I received a bare root that was absolutely enormous! All are doing fine - so I've ordered four more bare-roots! The only way I have any room is because I dug up most of my mini-floras and put them in pots and told them to start acting like miniature roses instead of growing like hybrid teas with small flowers!

Maryl, I hope you get Soutine. It is one of my favorite roses. I think I got it from Vintage three years ago. In my garden, it is one of the best of the "stripeys", and I have quite a few.

Wow you guys. I just tried to get on HMF to look something up and I can't get on there at all. I have never ever seen this happen before. A white page came up with a message that said there were "too many visitors right now and to try again later!!" I can't help but think it must be all you guys looking up the hundreds of varieties Cliff has to offer!! Everybody's jamming the website. Go Cliff!

Funny Beth as I came out here to say the same thing. Working now, but it's the first time I ever experienced that from HMFR.

Cliff is indeed traveling, just in case anyone might think it curious.

I placed a order on March 14, but have not had an acknowledgement yet- I understand he is travelling, but notice that some of you have heard back. Just wondering, don't want to miss getting my order in! :)

I placed an order (in-ground minifloras, to be dug up and shipped) on the 14th, but haven't heard back yet. I don't know if that's good or bad.

Kathy, I wouldn't worry about your order being placed (in order received). Cliff hasn't been back from traveling very long and the PV tires him quickly. Tho' he does push himself - I kept telling him to go in and get some rest when I went out a month ago.

Has anyone gotten a response to their order for bare roots since Cliff returned from his trip?

Guys, I've heard from Cliff. He is extremely overwhelmed by all the orders and emails. Please bear with him. He's doing the best he can. I don't know how much help he has, but these roses have to be found, then dug up and packaged up for shipping. Then he has to answer your emails. You do realize his health is not that great, and this is a huge task he has to do. He will get back to you, just please be patient!

Thanks Beth!

I'm wishing him all the best, but the clocks ticking as far as bare root roses in the more southerly climates. I hope we all hear from him soon.

I really had given up and was about to order from elsewhere when I got an e-mail from Cliff to say my roses (or most of them) are on the way! He is overwhelmed and, I guess, filling orders and then responding to e-mails.

This was posted on another site earlier today:

As with everything else I've done with roses, the dismantling of the garden has been on a grand scale as well, and I've frankly been overwhelmed by the administrative nightmare I created when I announced the sale of bare root plants. I want to thank everyone who placed orders and ask for your patience and understanding as we process and ship the orders just as quickly as we possibly can. Roses are tagged and dug from the garden in the order in which orders were received. I'm several hundred email messages behind, and sending another message asking where the order is or for a status update only slows down the process further. I appreciate that most of you are anxious to receive the roses as soon as possible, and we're working pretty much around the clock to ensure that we do the best we possibly can to get the plants tagged, dug up, bare rooted, packed and shipped.

With sincere thanks,

Cliff

Please be patient!

My plants arrived yesterday. In excellent shape, well packaged. Not bareroot, packed with a little soil around the roots.

Diane: Did you get a notice from Cliff before your plants were shipped? I will be so excited and happy if I get any of the ones I ordered, but I don't really hold out much hope....Maryl

Maryl, I didn't receive a notice before shipment! He may have helpers getting orders out before he can e-mail.

Maryl, I did receive a notice on Thursday, but that was AFTER they had been shipped. They didn't arrive yet, though. I am not getting all of my top priority ones, but the ones on my alternates list are ones I wanted also.

My guess is that you will get at least some of what you ordered! He says he is filling orders based on when they were received. I ordered on March 15th.

I e-mailed mine March 16th. I didn't have an alternate list because I have so little space that what I want is what I want if you know what I mean. This is like buying a lottery ticket. I just need to let the chips fall where they may and not expect to "win" the prize. Mine were all HT's btw.

I pasted the link for the list and it didn't come up. Just an ad for Constant Constant. So does one get the list?

Here are the lists of the 4000 roses that Cliff posted on March 13:
Roses available in pots $6 to $24
Bareroot Hybrid Teas $29
Bareroot Shrubs Floribundas and Polyanthas $29
Bareroot Old Garden Roses $29
Bareroot Minis and Minifloras $19
Bareroot Specied and Species Hybrids $29
Bareroot Climbers $29
Bareroot Found Roses $29

The above bareroot roses were available directly from Cliff as of March 13 on a first come, first served basis and are, generally speaking, full grown roses that he is digging one by one out of his garden for sale before he has to move. The good news is the garden is mostly sand, and the digging goes pretty fast, considering.
To order from the ABOVE lists, Send an email to: cliff.eurodesertroses@yahoo.com. In the subject line, type "Rose Order". In the message, provide the following:
names of the roses you'd like to order
names of alternate roses in the event your choices are unavailable (he will not come back to you asking for alternates if your choices are not available and you have not listed alternates)
your name
complete shipping address
your email address, should he need to contact you
Roses are shipped at his cost, but again, these are big roses.

There is also a group of 10,000 band-size roses that Vintage Gardens is selling on consignment for Cliff, also on a first come, first served basis. Some of those they will add to Vintage's permanent collection, others not.

The first group at Vintage with pictures
All Eurodesert Roses at Vintage with prices per band
Vintage's April 6 Update about Eurodesert roses available from Vintage
Vintage's regular shipping prices will apply to roses purchased from them.

Hope this helps,
Kathy

I received an e-mail from Cliff last night (general). They are digging, packaging, and shipping in groups by variety. So, it may be that he hasn't gotten to your varieties yet. And, it looks like you could receive multiple shipments.

Cliff knows many are anxious to get their roses ASAP. So he's putting his head down and shipping, shipping, shipping and will try to catch up on emails later.

Please keep in mind these are not bare roots lying on a shelf. Each one has to first be located on a five acre property, cut back, dug out of the ground, soil shaken off, likely trimmed again, taken back to the packing area, sorted into orders, packed, labeled and then shipped.

He's working as fast as he can!!

If I lived nearby, I would love to go help him! Unfortunately, I'm too far away.

For those of you who placed orders - I am wondering how long it took from the time you ordered to receive either acknowledgement or shipping/billing info?

I'm pretty late to the party (just put my mini/mfl order in this past Sunday), so I'm not holding out much hope of getting anything. I've read the posts indicating how busy he is, and how your request is filed in order received, etc, and I would love to hear back but don't want to gum up the works by asking about my order.

Also for my fellow DFW-ers, has anyone been able to find the hybrid tea Stainless Steel locally? I just read about it on the forums recently and would love to have it. I looked on-line where it seemed to be out of stock or bare root shipping was already over. So, I thought I'd see if I might luck into it around town. Didn't see it at Northhaven, southlake Calloways or Blooming Colors.

I ordered the night he sent the original e-mail, March 13th. I received the first shipment last Wednesday, and a second this past Wednesday. I didn't receive an e-mail, and there was no invoice in the first shipment, I haven't had a chance to hunt through the second.

My husband called me at work this evening to tell me there was a HUGE box waiting for me. I was all excited. Couldn't wait to see which ones from my list would make it. Turns out it was just ONE of my roses. I guess Cliff is just shipping them out in sections like some of you have mentioned. I scored a rose I had yrs ago that just up and died on me one day. STRYKER. Nice big fat plant wrapped up, partially barerooted. I potted it up right away. Can't wait to see what else might show up! Oh, and no I didn't get any emails from Cliff. But I wasn't expecting to. Nice surprise.

Ok, so it seems like I need to give it 3-4 weeks and I'll be either very surprised with what shows up on my doorstep or disappointed that I didn't get anything. I'll hope for the former.

Thanks for the info!

I received three of mine on Monday and planted them right away. They must have been potted, as they had huge root systems. They were very well packed. They are: GRENADINE (aka CARITAS), RUFFLE'S PASSION, and BERMUDA. A few weeks before, I got a huge bare root of JOSHUA BRADLEY. It has leafed out beautifully. And, before that, I got five bands: BELEVEDERE, WINSCHOTEN, BLACK COUNTRY PRIDE, FAMOSA, and THE IMPOSTER. I needed to stop sooner - but was afraid that I wouldn't ever find some of the roses again! Poor Cliff must be exhausted!

I was hoping people would mention the roses they received. It's been two weeks since I mentioned it but the old clock for the arrival of our heat is tick, tick, ticking. I know everyone else knows Cliff, but I don't. Surely he wouldn't send out bare root roses to those of us in the south when it's too hot to plant them?...Maryl

Damn, looks like I missed the email and this. I knew he was closing. I just had no idea he had such a great sale. I would MAKE room for a lot of his roses. Good thing they will still be available. For that alone, I have to thank Cliff!

Andrew -- he is still accepting orders. Just make sure you have a lot of alternates at this point.

Maryl, you can still plant bareroots, you just have to keep them in part shade and the canes covered with soil or a paper bag so that they don't dry out. I don't think at this point he can take the time to determine what zones are still suitable, too hot, etc., they are digging, packing and shipping.

FYI, received an e-mail from Cliff this morning with a note of the roses that have been shipped with date of shipment (I should receive one more package), and a question on another variety, with a request to finalize the order.

Hi all,
Had a LOVELY day (speaking for myself) at Cliff's yesterday. Helped him tag many of your beauties for digging up and shipping. For Cliff this process is his work and he is working hard to make it all happen despite his health issues and it is now warmer spring weather.

A word about the roses for those wondering. The roses are exceedingly healthy. I've seen the trim process (couldn't do better myself) and the dig up process (my back couldn't do that ;-) and it looks very good. All are well hydrated in the garden and go to soaking tubs to hydrate even more before the shipment.

While I don't live in the south or east, I have traveled there and do know double digit heat and humidity. I don't think anyone should have any problems with the transplant that some *mindful* watering (ie keep them hydrated until they settle in) and if full sun is an issue, you might provide some temporary shade, I don't think *heat* per se should be any problem, after all they've been raised in the desert. I've brought a handful home so far as I can fit on the way home and none of them have skipped a beat (seeing this process has made me mindful of why I've had transplant issues myself) and will be getting more next time I'm out.

I encourage all of you to take another look at his lists, even if shipping is an issue, these are full grown, established plants that you wouldn't get for a great deal more.

Btw, BINGO QUEEN may still be available and would be a great gift for that that special bingo person in your life!

For those of you have received the roses from Cliff, when and how are you going to pay? Is he going to bill us or we have to calculate the total amount by ourselves then send the check to him?

I received St. Mary, Miranda (the Portland), Maria Liesa, and Lady Overton.

I put them in a mud bath the day they arrived, making sure to not expose roots to air. The next day I planted. All are leafing out now.

I sent Cliff a check for the first shipment; I simply added up about what I thought it would cost. Shipping costs were on the box. I received an email thanking me, and saying that the order was not then complete, and stating how much more payment was needed.

Portlands are my second favorite kind of roses, after albas, so I am thrilled to have a rare one of which I had not heard.

I missed out on Ferox and Heldenrosen (sp?), BUT, I was able to buy them from the bands being sold by Vintage.

Some breeder needs to name a gorgeous, fabulous, takes your breath away rose after Cliff.

Just reading about this now. Is there anything left.

About what will the shipping be to NJ?

I hope you guys order lots and lots. I'm glad the roses get to keep on going and hope Cliff does well.

Carla

My sincere apologies for not surfacing earlier, but I've been digging out from under a mountain of email messages and orders since the sale began and only now am starting to see some daylight.

A few answers to your questions.

These are not the bare root roses you're used to ordering, which are usually dormant plants that have been stored at cool temperatures. These are mature roses, dug from the garden while actively growing. They're cut back, soaked, the roots are washed and then they're carefully packed for shipping. Total labor from start to finish has been averaging nearly an hour per plant. Reports from all over the country are that these roses start to grow as soon as they're planted in pots or in the ground. For those of you who might be worried about it being too hot in your area, in 2006 I moved my entire garden from the low desert to the new location in the high desert. We started the move in August, with daytime high temperatures above 110 and often above 115 degrees. Roses were dug from the garden and planted in pots (we weren't ready to plant them in the ground), and out of 5,000 roses, we lost very, very few.

Don't worry about payment. Invoices are prepared after I know the actual shipping costs. I'm preparing invoices when I can grab a minute or two and have set up a mechanism to pay by credit card via the website -- or by check.

Are there great roses left? For sure! While the response has been terrific, with 1000 roses already in new homes in 37 states, that means that there are still 4000 roses in the garden, and many (most?) are truly incredible, and a significant number of them are quite rare. I'm now sending out updates with the names of the varieties still available, by type of rose. The first of these updates, on hybrid perpetuals, went out a few hours ago.

Please know that this is not, nor was it intended to be a source of great income. In fact, given how labor and time intensive this is, we lost money on all of the potted roses we sold and we just about break even on the minis and minifloras from the garden. The overriding purpose of this sale is to save these roses and to ensure that they will have good homes. I'm maintaining a database that includes the name of each rose shipped along with contact information. This way, should there be an interest in commercializing any of the roses in the future, hopefully the new owners will be willing to provide cuttings.

Thank you all most sincerely for your patience and understanding, and for your support.

Cliff

Is there any way to see an updated list if one is not on your mailing list?

davidchance, shipping can be expensive, especially for the larger plants. Cliff sends very mature, very large, plants. The minis are a more reasonable place.

I meant: The minis are a more reasonable PRICE.

Can anyone post a link to the updated list? I'm not on Cliff's mailing list.

I'm really sorry, but I've simply not had the time to update the various lists. Instead, I've gone to providing updates by variety and so far have focused on hybrid perpetuals (only six left out of 125) and this morning put out an update on polyanthas. I'll be sending out updates on each type of rose over the next few weeks, as quickly as I can get them done. The polyantha update may be viewed at:

http://tinyurl.com/3pv3gg8

Cliff

Is there any way to get on this email list to get the updates?

Is there a Eurodesert rose update or has all inventory been sold?

Hi grownsk,

From another thread, " folks can still sign up for our mailings on our website or by sending an email to me at cliff.eurodesertroses@yahoo.com."

There are still plenty of florabundas and hybrid teas, there are also a good few hybrid musks left.

Please do contact him, his stock is amazing.
Kerin