Secondhand from another Canadian nursery-- reportedly they said dealing with DA was onerous as they had to pay royalties on plants produced but not sold.

Well that would certainly explain the business aspect of the decision. I expect Kordes makes no such demands??

English colonies(albeit former)being forced to pay royalties? Perhaps it's time for another Boston Tea Party.

I think we have all found out that most DA roses do not work in all locations. Some should never have left England. This coming from someone who is in love with a choice selection of his roses.

Why am I happy to read this?

Because I find the hysteria over Austin roses annoying in he face of really great roses from many other breeders that are totally unknown or ignored.

You have to credit David Austin for very astute marketing. But he seems to have overstretched things by introducing a horde of roses that should have been left in the shed. Not to mention some hard nosed tactics in the sale of his roses.

It saddens me on one count: I was looking to fill a bed with a WS2000 hedge (a variety not retained for next year), and since, if the economy recovers, I might not be living at my present abode for too many years, I was looking for instant gratification. From what I've heard, Palatine's roses provide this better than any other retailer. Oh well, I guess it's like you said Jim, there are lots of other great roses....just none that are WS2000.

I found this on the Pickering site:

"Finally this will be the last season of availability of the following varieties: Amalia, Ave Maria, Caramba, Nightengale, Stainless Steel, Alberta, Calliope, Canyonlands, Chihuly, Constance Finn, Grand Canyon, Irish Hope, Rhapsody in Blue, Scentimental, Tawny Tiger, Lady of Megginch, Rose-Marie, Rosemoor, Wisley, Be Bop, Bubbles, Cambridge, Heidesommer, Julia Renaissance, Moore's Classic Perpetual and Sandra Renaissance."

Apparently this statement means those roses are unavailable for the coming season, as the few I checked do not appear on current shop/buy pages. Maybe some of the shopping pages are updated but the statement about dropping has not been. They've dropped only a couple of Austins out of a zillion. The search function for roses newly added has not been updated.

Too bad about 'Irish Hope,' a terrific floribunda. Now Hortico is the only source for it grafted.

Those in warmer zones who can grow pretty near any rose they please without worrying about hardiness issues or short growing season have no idea how much DA has improved our choices in zone 5, with loads of rebloom to boot. Jim notwithstanding.

veilchen

I have yet to find out why my garden and most in my area is so unfriendly to roses. As mentioned many times I have tried Austins, I think 9 of them but I couldn't name them now. It is not only A's but some other famous and popular roses that died here, like the 9 Bonicas my wife once planted. And others.

I have found Kordes roses a little better but many of those bit the dust as well. Much better although only once blooming are old roses. I guess they have managed to endure because the are able to tolerate the many different climates and soils they are planted in for many decades.

Veilchen, I second your comments. There have been so many roses that have not thrived for me and many others here in Northern Michigan. David Austin roses seem to love our climate, bounce back from our winters, and provide stunning blooms and, as you say, loads of rebloom. For many of us here in the north, the David Austin roses have given us new rose hope!

While I can't quite make heads nor tails of the whole DA deal, I hope those concerned are writing letters.

Without the fans there would be no band....

Allison

Again, what Michael intimated might be dead on; i.e., Palatine could be dropping so many DAs because they have to pay for all roses propagated, not just sold. Rene, however, didn't air any dirty laundry suggesting this, rather that they're just not selling enough. So, to continue Allison's analogy, if the fans contact Rene the band will go back to releasing more albums....at least through Palatine.

Does anyone know what 5 Austin roses Palatine will be carrying. I love Palatine roses - they are big and healthy with amazing root systems, and I love Austins, so for me the combination is the best. I will contact Palatine and let them know I am a fan of both!

Hey another thought. Maybe Austins are more picky as to climate. There was that very negative comment from Prospero (Paul Barden?) who has 3000 roses. In Oregon! I thought it was like an ideal rose climate. Yet there are many here who swear by them. And you know my experience with them. Oh well onward and upward!

Oh and it is really surprising that they are so hardy when the ARS Encylopedia rates most of them as Z5 and even Z6.

Karen--they're carrying Summer Song, The Prince, Abraham Darby, Jude the Obscure and Graham Thomas.

Thanks, Veryzer! Hopefully they will be allowed to sell them to U.S. customers. I have Abraham Darby, Jude the Obscure and Graham Thomas and LOVE them! Looks like I need Summer Song & The Prince, right?

The so-called ARS encyclopedia wasn't written by the ARS. It wasn't even written in North America, but in England.

Yes, Karen. I'd say you have little choice in the matter. They must be purchased. No dithering. Of course, if you could tell me that WS2000 isn't a spectacular rose in z5 that would make me feel much better about not getting it and ordering something else from their catalog.

Ann

On the front cover of the DK Quest-Ritson book is the stamp, ARS endorsed. Of course it was written in England! All credit to the ARS who managed to overcome any chauvinism and endorsed a great rose book. Some of the greatest rose breeders are European so why not include them! It is my favorite rose book that I've nearly worn out.

And here I sit, in coastal Oregon, which should be a climate very much like England. Have a terrible time with the Austins. WS2000 had a 3 year prime spot in my garden & never developed beyond a 2 foot limp octopus. I do have a few that have done well, Jude - Graham - Abraham, but most were terrible failures here. Maybe they need the cold winters?

We've talked about this before, but for newbies, the Encyclopedia in England has the Royal Horticultural Society imprint, which is kind of wierd as the senior author was working for the Royal National Rose Society while he and his wife were writing this and Climbing Roses.
It also is published in German with the German Rose Society imprint. That doesn't make it more apropo to German rose growing.

I do wonder if the ARS got a penny/pence/pfennig for lending their name to it? Some of the comments on American bred older roses might not have made it through, had it been edited over here.

Jim, the dude all but ignored the roses that you might want to be looking at: the early Setigera hybrids from the Philadelphia and Maryland breeders.

Veryzer - I have some very very bad news for you. William Shakespeare 2000 is absolutely spectacular in zone 5. I loved mine so much I went out and bought a second one. There could even be a third in my future if I could fine one. Im so very very sorry.