You just made me reconsider my plans for my west facing hot border. The decision coincided with an offer by mail for 20% off January orders from Austin's Swedish partner. My husband reminded me that we must do something about this border because of weeds and weedy perennials. So, I ordered Summer Song, Lady Emma Hamilton and Lady of Shalott for spring delivery. Other roses in this border are Brown Velvet, Princesse (Laperriere 1964), Sutter's Gold, Linnaeus, Mountain Music and Folksinger, a total mix of apricots, yellows and oranges plus the white Nevada. It will need lots of perennials to bridge the colours. The bed is backed by a small woodland with some wild roses in the same colour range, Austrian Copper and a yellow spinosissima called Maria Stuart, not an official name. Some perennials we will keep are rudbeckias, oriental poppies, daylilies, doronicums, achilleas, helianthemums, perennial digitalis and primulas. This riot of colour is mainly a spring and autumn garden. We shall probably need sunglasses when we look at it even in late sunlight!

hi Marina, sure, I'm pretty sure my plants come from DA Texas. I ordered them via DA US online. In the past I've generally had very nice and strong 3 cane bareroots from them. Although once I ordered late in the season and 2 of them had a really hard time getting established in the ground due to the heat. One of them I've since moved into a pot and it has done really well. The other has become established, but I don't think it is as full as it could have been. I also tried a 2 pack from Costco last season, which has done really well. Unfortunately, my experience with own root plants from Chamblees has not been great - of the 3 out of 4 still alive, 2 of them are spindly, weak very sad plants. But this latest order was from DA US. They did send me a monster St Swithun Clg as a substitute though - this thing was a monstrosity, 4-5 strong canes and maybe 3 inches thick at the root stock shaft. I thought maybe no one orders this particular rose? =)

There are no easy answers but it is a good question to think about. I have traded cuttings and plants and know for certain that most of the people I've traded with continue to do a lot of plant buying from the nurseries. These are seriously addicted people who are not going to be satiated with a few plants traded! Many people who trade don't have a huge number of plants and will always turn to the nurseries for their large selections. The example Ann gave could also apply to a nursery owner buying plants from another nursery owner. He/she might say, " I am going to propagate a lot of these plants and sell them and give you a bit of competition." Would that be a sorry way to treat the person he bought from? I don't think so. We all have to get our plants somewhere. Do most nursery owners dislike selling to other nurseries? I question whether a small new nursery might be subjected to the same disfavor that a small time trader might get. Keeping them in commerce might be better than just trading because the nursery owner is putting so much in to the whole thing, keeping obscure varieties available, educating people, etc. A private garden owner can also keep obscure varieties going, educate, etc. . When it comes to " BAD rose traders" spank spank ( unpatented) I just can't go there yet. I have been limiting my trades anyway for this important reason: a nursery owner is more likely to recognize disease and refuse to send a diseased plant. I have also seen nursery owners who may not have taken the time to look over a plant before mailing. I am treating some nursery bought plants with systemic soil drench today because some kind of white thready nymph fell from the leaves to the soil when it warmed up. I think supporting a nursery with a big inventory is worthwhile because the huge inventory is such a vast effort to maintain, and it is such a resource to find them all in one place. And many of us like those people. Melis, if you're still reading, I've been thinking that one unpatented plant you could trade for which has a lot of orange in it is Clementina Carbonnieri. Or you could buy it. It should do well in zone 8 and would not need spraying, while an orange Austin is likely to need spraying. You can see pictures of it at www.helpmefind.com/roses. You can do a search and then click on the photos tab. Linda

I am near you - about 3 hours from Galveston in east Texas. I love my Tess. I have her on a huge fan shaped trellis - she has very healthy foliage and lots of nice blooms. Two of my favorite Austins are Carding Mill and Abe Darby. Wollerton Old Hall, new for me last year, does get really big, don't find the blooms fragrant like Austin says, but they are pretty. Sophy's Rose is a really good one - healthy foliage, lots of big pretty deep pink blooms. Bishop's Castle is good. Lady of Shallot looks to be big. I have quite a few new ones that are healthy and growing - they will do better next year. Great big for me are James Galway and Scepter d'Isle - like them a lot. I have Lady Emma and Munstead Wood planted where they get full sun until 2pm - hope they like it there. I really like Ambridge Rose too. Love the blooms on Jude......mine is very small though. I am getting another Young Lycadis - my chickens were scratching in that bed and killed it. The color is a different, brighter looking pink that I really like. Englands Rose was new for me last year - it started off looking and blooming fantastically.....then it starting dawdling around. Am hoping it will get going again in the spring - it was really nice. I want to try Princess Alexandra of Kent - have heard good things about it. Do any of you all plan to try the new Austins? I want Boscobel, The Lark Ascending.......not sure about the others. caldonbeck, the photos are fabulous! Judith