Ditto. I've ordered from them 4 or 5 times, always with top-notch plants. Everything I got was always budded to Dr. Huey rootstock. That's not a complaint; just some people (including myself sometimes) are looking for a particular rootstock or own-root. That would be the only reason I could see someone wanting to look elsewhere. If you're happy with Dr. Huey, which is afterall the standard rootstock in the western U.S., S&W is a great choice. Mike

Beth -- I went back through my emails from them for last year and do not see anywhere a "free shipping" offer. Their shipping deal now and all last year was buy 5 and get shipping for $5 total for the whole shipment. That's pretty dang good in my book, especially when the roses are mostly $16 apiece, which is also quite good. The only sales they had last year were at Halloween for three days when they had a buy ten, get 5% off (which is lame) and at the beginning of February when they attempt to sell out whatever hasn't been ordered at full price for $12 per rose -- but you won't get the newest or most popular varieties then, as they'll be long since gone. So you may as well order now, while the selection is best. And I find it interesting that they have zero David Austin roses this year. Last year I got two DA's from them, The Endeavor and Benjamin Britton. I also find it interesting that they don't have a category for "own root" roses, which they did have last year. Some of the roses they sell are, in fact, own root plants, but you can't figure out from the website which ones those are. Probably most of the floribundas that are of recent breeding are grown as own-root plants, however. Likewise the mini's -- I doubt any of those are grafted. Maybe you could call them and ask for the "own root" list. Dunno. And BTW, I recommend one of the new ones I got from them last year -- White Licorice is a really nice rose. Kathy

Hi Esther, I can't think of any bicolored varieties that are anywhere near as Blackspot free as the ones I have noted. However, there is a possibility that 'Magic Carousel' might do well in your region. The climate conditions that affect severity of Blackspot infection is different in NY then it is in coastal OR, so 'Magic Carousel' might be great in your area. Here, it does lose some foliage from disease, but many growers report that it is one of their best selections, so it might be worth trying. As I mentioned earlier, the grocery store mini roses were bred for greenhouse cultivation, not the open garden. It is highly unlikely there is anything you can do, cultivation-techniques wise, that will improve their resistance to Blackspot. If you have found that sprays won't control the disease, then you would be best to relegate these plants to a windowsill where they won't get their leaves wet, ever or just chalk it up to a learning experience and toss them out.

Then I don't feel so bad, it looks like 6 to 7 hours for me. I really wish I lived closer as I see quite a few that I would want for those prices! Maybe we could get some sort of shuttle started like the Pony Express, where someone loser could pick them up, drive an hour of so, pass them off to someone else, etc. Ha, ha, ha! Oh, and I am tempted to drive there as I drive 5 hours to attend the Raleigh Plant Swap. I see about 15 or so that I wouldn't mind having.