Diane, congratulations! Regarding your top picks, though I don't know 'Rose de Meaux' (but it looks like a real beauty on HMF), I have had "Sappho" (Alba) for about a decade. It has hauntingly beautiful, plentiful, highly-scented flowers and perfect grey-green foliage. It also sends suckers out 5 or 6 feet in all directions all the time in good conditions, so be prepared to place it with that in mind.

I actually tore mine out, once. It was near a site of oak root fungus infection, though it turned out to not be infected, but it was suspect and its invasiveness was tiresome, so I removed it (or so I thought). It came back -- in the midst of a 'Miss Lowe's Variety' and many places elsewhere, where I dutifully dug it out.

It has since established a stronghold under a rock wall, from which it would be a real piece of work to remove it, so we've called a truce. It's put up some good-looking new growth in the meantime, blooming this past spring. It gets less water and the site is pretty rough where it is, which may be of benefit to us both, making it hopefully less invasive. The height listed on HMF of 39" is a bit under the mark: here it was a solid 7-8' tall in its prime -- gracefully arching.

This post was edited by catspa on Tue, Jul 30, 13 at 0:12

Heard from Vintage today - here is my list:
Mme. Jules Francke
Johnnie Walker
âÂÂLegacy of Elizabeth MooreâÂÂ
âÂÂHubner Plot TeaâÂÂ
âÂÂLa Nymphe
Carol Amling
Picnic VID
Red Devil VID
Ethel Sanday

I didnt get several of my top choices - but I figured they would be popular - even though I got my list in exactly at the correct time [but so did lots of others]. I ordered a few more from their available list and will probably get those. I was disappointed on a few I didnt get - but do have so many nice Vintage roses I have ordered in the spring - and ordered only those roses I couldnt get elsewhere. At least these rare roses will be spread around and hope everyone got some of what they wanted. They will certainly be cherished and grown with love and remembrance of a wonderful nusery.
Judith

Thanks catspa for the info on Sappho. I am not familiar with this rose. I'll be placing it on the wild side of the house where there will be a lot of big roses and survival of the fitest.

alameda, I also ordered an additional rose after I saw what I got/didn't get. Will try Queen of the Prairies, a rambler.

Diane

Diane,

I suspected I wouldn't get Duchesse D'Angouleme. I'm sorry that you didn't get it! If I have the chance to get my hands on a plant I will be sure to send you a band.

Josh

Thanks Josh. Hopefully one of us will find it.

Diane

Diane and Josh.....I got one this spring. Its very small, not big enough to take cuttings, but I will be happy to share when it gets big enough. Please remind me later!
Judith

Over on the wild side with the big guys sounds good for "Sappho", Diane. I thought I'd give warning, since there's virtually no info of practical use about it out there and neither the photos on HMF or Vintage's descriptions, of Albas in general or "Sappho" in particular, convey the relentlessness of its wanderin' ways. This one could probably give those cypresses of yours what-for -- not a rose for dainty, precise garden schemes, for sure. That said, it's a beautiful, beautiful rose (and does re-bloom here and there, for me, into fall).

How did you guys pay Vintage for your order? I left them a voicemail with my info but haven't heard back yet. I don't want to lose my order.

Everyone, but what will happen in the future? I am new to OGR's, and during the past week have found varieties that I adore, and guess which supplier stocked the roses? Vintage. Neither Rogue or Heirloom lists the roses in their inventory. I have been lucky with Burling and Pam at Angel Gardens, as they appear to stock some hard to find beauties, but everyone wants them and the supply is limited. I feel as though I have truly missed out on acquiring some very special roses. I do not want to diminish the beauty or appreciation for what I have been able to acquire... but boy have I seen some beauties. Mrs. my roses need to have a good repeat bloom was going to purchase a once blooming rose....

I really appreciate folks like roseseek who has added to what is out there with his very special roses ( still difficult to obtain), but some of those " oldie but goodies" I really worry about being able to ever acquire. The only thing that will help me is that I should be running out of space for roses very soon, but I assume there are others in my position with more than ample room for hundreds of these special roses. It is soooo sad:(

I also assume that anyone who propagates and/or nurses these beauties for the consumer must share the love which makes the situation sad on another level.

Lynn

Wow, thanks alameda. Will make a note to remind myself to contact you if I have any room in my garden by the time your rose big enough.

catspa, no one would ever call my garden dainty and precise. I've always let Nature have her way so Sappho will fit right in. And rebloom is a bonus. Looking forward to making her acquaintance.

Diane

Lynn, since you are a west coast gardener, you have another source of the unusual if you are willing to drive a bit. Two noted area gardens offer plant sales based on their collections. The Sacramento Cemetery Garden holds its event in April, and the San Jose Heirloom Rose Garden holds its in the fall, this year, the last Saturday in September. For both these events you will want to be there when they start, as the rarest roses go quickly. I have some wonderful roses I purchased at these events that I would not have found otherwise.

Another option for you is to learn to root roses. Then you might find other gardeners with whom to trade cuttings. It is considered bad form to do this with roses that can easily be purchased from a (perhaps struggling) vendor, but if no one offers it, it is a good way to go.

On a good day, I believe that the interest in old roses will revive, but it may not happen for another generation or two. That would be a long time to wait, and we need to preserve these roses for the next round. The reservoirs of the past have been drained. People don't plant roses in cemeteries anymore (more's the pity), and abandoned homesteads have pretty much been bulldozed and redeveloped. It is up to us to see that these roses will still be here the next time the world decides that they are interesting and valuable.

Rosefolly

Ycavez, in the past, when balances are due from an email order (where I'm NOT going to include a credit card number), Vintage has sent me an invoice, to be paid within 10 days or something like that, during which time the rose was reserved for me. But I imagine if you responded with the info in a phone message, they'll get around to processing it that way eventually -- they are no doubt busy. Congratulations on getting "Florence Bowers' Pink Tea"!

Rosefolly,

Thank you for the information. We usually plan a trip to the area just south of San Francisco once a year; but my hubby is no longer is employed by a silicone valley company.

While my husband indicates that he doesn't care about roses, he will hold my hand and walk with me through rose gardens, gravitated toward the beauty and fragrance of my Golden Celebration before it died due to an irrigation issue, taking my teenage stepson with him to admire it. He noticed and went outside to smell the bloom of La Reine within 30 minutes of arriving home after work and is taking great care of my own root babies while I am convalescing . At this rate I am hoping he will be in agreement regarding what I now hope to plan, a trip to San Jose, San Francisco, then off to wine country in September:)

Lynn

This post was edited by desertgarden561 on Tue, Jul 30, 13 at 19:41

I just got my confirmation letter, out of the 15 roses I listed 2 were available, I feel lucky to have gotten any. My new acquisitions are Golden Moss and Princesse de Nassau. Time to look forward to the One Gallon Sale...