To any of you who haven't tried old garden roses yet, you should take this opportunity to try it out! I just did.

I've been growing hybrid teas and floribundas for about 15 years, just like my mom did. I always got my roses from local nurseries or bare root. Then, I found the Old Garden Rose forum here. I started lurking, reading posts and learning. There are some wonderful old roses with long histories that are completely different from what I was used to. Most have much prettier bush forms than the hybrid teas, and most have less disease. They come in all sizes and colors and forms and smell fantastic.

I'm redoing my front garden, so I ordered some from Vintage. The people at Vintage are super nice, they shipped just when they said they would, and their little "bands" came with very thorough instructions. What's a band? It's a 4" pot that's about 6" long and holds one baby rose. They're little things when you get them. You repot them for a while to let them grow up, then plant them like a normal potted rose.

My new little bands have been here about 2 weeks and look great in their new pots. I can now grow some roses that I've never seen before. It's so exciting to wait and see what they actually look like when they bloom.

So if you have a little space in your garden and want to try something new, go on the Vintage website and order yourself some. It's a new, fun experience and you'll be helping keep old, rare roses growing while helping keep a fine company in business.

Debbie

For those who, like Ingrid, have run out of room in your own gardens, how about gifting your friends, churches, local arboreutums, anywhere a rose can grow...

catsrose, I don't know why I didn't think of this but you're right, roses would be great gifts. I have a dear friend to whom I recommended Duchesse de Brabant years ago. She had never grown old roses and was enchanted by this rose. She moved out of state and had to leave this rose behind. She is now back in Southern California and I'm sure she'd be thrilled to have another one for her new home. And maybe another rose as a companion...

Thanks!

Ingrid

I just now went out and ordered these;
Candy Stripe
Rusty
Charles de Gaulle
Henry Ford
Shades of Autumn
Royal Airforce

I can always pull out some non performers if it is going to help the most important rose nursery in the country!

Good choices Mike!! I don't have HENRY FORD or ROYAL AIRFORCE, but the others are wonderful!!

I never even read the notice on the homepage about them possibly going under until I saw Ingrid's other post. I just never thought they'd be among the rose suppliers to bite the dust... EVER! That's so sad, and scarey. There's still so many roses that I want from them that rarely seem to come up on the availability list. I hope they are able to keep going. Man... we just can't afford to lose anymore suppliers!

Here's what I ordered:
COURVOISIER - wanted it for a long time
BLUE RIBBON - replace the one that died last yr
JOHNNY WALKER - replace the one I killed this yr
PINK MASTERPIECE - replace the one I've had for 9 yrs that hasn't done anything
PICTURE - replace the one that just died this week
TYRIUS - new one to me... sounds interesting

I ordered a few I've had my eye on, plus some HTs and a FL I've been wanting to experiment with in my no-spray world. Seems like now's the time.

Mme. la Duchesse d'Auerstädt TN
Comtesse de Rocquigny B
St. David's Ch
Mme. Wagram, Comtesse de Turenne HT
Lady Wenlock HT
The Doctor HT
Nimbus Fl

Colleen

I ordered a few I have been wanting plus a couple that I want to experiment with.

My order:
ROSETTE DELIZY
FERDINAND PICHARD
MME ALFRED CARRIERE
HIPPOLYTE

Hippolyte may not do well for me here but the pictures were sooo pretty that...well...I had to have it.
~Melissa

Thanks for calling this to our attention Ingrid. I will definitely be ordering some roses from them to help "the cause". I don't have space for any more roses - but I will MAKE space. Too bad we can't plant them on the roof - like a thatched roof in England, only with roses!!!

Here is a link that might be useful: Vintage Gardens

Colleen, my NIMBUS just popped this bloom out yesterday:
{{gwi:327701}}

I love it! Hope you do too!

Pardon my ignorance, can you briefly describe what Vintage sells? Are Old Garden Roses once bloomers? A few recommendation w/ roses w/ nice fragrance, hardy and disease resistant would be greatly appreciated!

Hit the link from above and delight in the selection they offer. There are links to guide you to exactly what you are looking for.

Time To Grow --

We have grown:
ROSETTE DELIZY, FERDINAND PICHARD, and MME ALFRED CARRIERE

For my coastal area, I actually like Lamarque better than MAC, but MAC is
no slouch.
In fact, in her rampant vigor, she over-ran and killed Ferdinand Pichard,
who I must replace one of these days.

Rosette Delizy is a rose I would not be without.

Jeri

Note to self...keep MAC away from Ferdinand Pichard. In fact, in my mostly empty backyard, she will be all by her lonesome in a sunny corner near my master bedroom patio.
Thanks Jeri!
~Melissa

.keep MAC away from Ferdinand Pichard

*** He will no doubt be intensely grateful.

BTW, note that most of the modern striped Miniatures, as well as the Floribunda 'Scentimental,' and the great modern climber, 'Fourth of July' descend from 'Ferdinand Pichard.'

I've read that someone once asked Ralph Moore why he selected Ferdinand Pichard to bring stripes into his miniatures.
He is said to have replied:
"Because I had it."

Nonetheless, it seems to have been an inspired choice.
:-)

Jeri

Hi ebster-

i like to wallow through the available selections on the Vintage site one by one and usually keep HMF open in another window for easy access to more information on the ones that look interesting. Not everyone's idea of a good time so i did a little search on HMF to see what came up for Vintage roses that are hardy to zone 5a, very disease resistant and very fragrant. Glendora looks like the perfect rose for you!

You can play with the criteria on HMF to get more selections, there is a search engine on the Vintage site as well. See something you like, give a holler for more information. Everyone likes to talk about their favorite rose ; )

Glendora flanked by Sydonie and Reine des Violettes?~Sounds amazing.

Vintage is one of my very favorite rose vendors. Their customer service and prices are excellent. While they have a lot of OGRs, they also have the most amazing collection of rare (and not-so-rare) HTs and FLs. So don't think that they are only an OGR vendor. I have a fair number of OGRs, but I'm more of a HT/FL person, and Vintage has provided me with a lot of those over the years, and as recently as last month! Their catalog is well worth checking out, and if a rose isn't currently available for regular order, keep checking back, b/c they update their list fairly often.

Thanks again Jeri!
I am just learning about old garden roses. It is nice to get input from someone who lives fairly close (I am in Santa Barbara County). I have learned a lot by lurking on the gardenweb and various other internet sights. I only this year started ordering from Vintage and I have a long list of wants. I hope they are able to pull through.
~Melissa

You guys are great! I've just ordered eight roses from Vintage, including two for a friend, in addition to four I ordered before I was aware of their problems. This is the time for all of us to pitch in, although if it means you can't buy milk for the children then you don't have to. But your response has been wonderful and very heart-warming.

Ingrid

By the way, Glendora is a tough rose with beautiful flowers and a really wonderful fragrance. A small vase in the house scents the whole room.

I ordered:
NIMBUS
ROYAL SUNSET
CL. PRESIDENT HERBERT HOOVER
PEACHBLOW
BREATH OF LIFE
MME. CHARLES
WILLIAM ALLEN RICHARDSON
What a terrible shame if Vintage no longer sold roses. It has been in operation ever since I started growing roses years ago. One by one......the fine rose nurseries are closing their doors. The economy is frightening and roses are [like the miniature horses I raise] a luxury item [necessity for me and I am sure hundreds of others!] Maybe all rose loves should consider a "bailout". I think Vintage is much more deserving than Wall Street!! Seriously.......perhaps something to think about. Maybe a drive for donations to keep nursery afloat would be in order......Ideas anyone?
Judith

I ordered too. My first time!

Rainbow
Souv de Pierre Notting
William R Smith
Sunday Lemonade

Shipping is so expensive for me from them...$27.75. Mainly wanted rainbow :) and to increase the number of teas I have. I figure I have a little while to figure out where to put them before they get big...lol

Sunni

Wow! This is the ultimate enabling! I told DH that there is a rose company going out of business, could I order a few roses? His answer: "Get whatever you want!". What a guy!

My list:
Ausca
Grey Dawn
Lili Marlene
Pariser Charme
Sheila's Perfume
Nimbus
Golden Slippers
Apricot Moon
Sleigh Bells
Maria Callas
Cologne

Now I have to find planting spots - I guess I'll be digging up more lawn!
YAY!
Linda

I fell in love with the pictures of Rêve d'Or and added it to my order.
I'm done....for now. :-)

~Melissa

I would be happy to publish an article on my gardening blog, Defining Your Home Garden. When I write about great gardening businesses, it does generate some traffic to those websites. I don't know if it will help, but I will contact Vintage Gardens to see if they are interested.

Sometimes, my articles get re-published in newspapers. So far, the Chicago Sun Times. That's up to the newspapers, but this history might be of wide appeal.

Thanks,
Cameron (alerted to this by Mary on the Cottage Garden Forums)

Here is a link that might be useful: my gardening blog

Melissa -- You are going to LOVE Reve d'Or!

Jeri

lindawisconsin,
Be patient with Grey Dawn. Mine took a little while to get settled in, but it was worth it! Blooms are really different.

Dear wonbyherwits,
Thanks for your response. I have saved the blog to read when I have time to breathe. Any good words you can come up with about Vintage will be appreciated and expose them to more gardeners. They are a great source of old and unusual roses. I think we can all admit to spending many hours on the website dreaming about and planning our gardens.
Mary

Finally! I figured out what to order from Vintage and just finished placing it. My order came out to be:

Ballerina (2)
Buff Beauty
Lavendar Pinocchio

I made myself do a rose inventory first and with my other spring order that came to around 76 roses total in the garden. So I had a serious talk with myself about where a new order would go. I have places for the first three. Lavender Pinocchio is the stuff of pure impulse but what a beauty. I might have to give a couple of my other roses in pots to friends rather than planting them but that would probably be good for everyone.

Kate

Ingrid, Thank you for bringing this from the Antique Rose Forum to the Rose Forum. I have talked to Gregg recently and he is so encouraged by the flood of orders and the ideas from caring people.

Thanks for the advice mgleason56! It looked really different, very intriguing! I'll make sure it is in the best growing spot to give it the best possible start. I can start hauling compost and preparing the bed. It will be potted up first, and babied along. Good thing I made plenty of compost this year!
I thought I'd also mention Vintage Gardens and their possible closing in my party plan (not roses) sales talk. Lots of people here love to garden and would like some nice roses. Every person can help a little, and maybe we can keep a great rose vendor who really deserves to stay in business!
Still doing the HHRD,
Linda