I am sorry I have no input on the roses, but I have a question. I ordered four roses from Vintage and paid $12.25 for shipping. And I am in California. May I ask how your shipping came to be so low?
Masha

I didn't do anything special. That's what their website calculated based on my location. I assume you ordered bands as well?

Eric

Yes, I did. I am pretty new to this, but I understood from their website that you pay a flat rate for each four roses. That's why I didn't order more - I would have paid over $70 in local shipping for 25 roses. There has to be something here that I just don't understand :-(.
Masha

Masha, I'm paying $69 for 17 roses shipping via USPS to Illinois. Are your roses being shipped via UPS, perhaps?
-terry

Masha, since you're so close to Vintage, you probably pay the lowest shipping. Shipping cost is determined by what zone you live in. I can guarantee that my shipping for 4 roses would be higher than Eric's.

Eric, I have Francesca. She seems to have won her battle with RoundUp but she's still smaller than when I put her in the ground last Feb/March. I have to move her and Felicia because I believe our sun is too hot for them all day long. She was beautiful when she bloomed in the pot.

I have admired Pharisaer but never pulled the trigger mainly because I can never be sure how the California roses will do here against BS. GM is supposed to be a wonderful rose. I hope they all do well for you. When will you be receiving them?

My sister is in Loveland so I guess you've both had some snow and ice today. Hope all is well and warm with you.

Sherry

Eric-
I have not grown any of the roses you selected, but Francesca is supposed to be a lovely HM. It grows in the cemetery, but I don't have much experience or knowledge of it.

Masha -
You can actually pick up your order of Vintage roses at Garden Valley Ranch in Petaluma. Now that gas prices have gone down, it might be worth it to cross the GG Bridge and go pick up your roses. When you place the order just specify in the comments that you want to pick them up at GVR. There is a $6.00 fee for this service and I don't think that there is any limit to the number of roses that you can pick up. Check with Gita or Gregg, I'm sure they'd be happy to discuss it with you. There are specific days on which they allow pickup - so check with them about the days too.
Anita and I are picking up an order in January since we are attending Gregg's pruning class being held at GVR.

Janelle

The only rose in your order I can speak about is Royal Sunset. It was in my first fall order, is potted and growing extremely well. It is a beautiful color. This is my 2nd one - I like the first I got so well I wanted one on own root. You will be delighted with this rose!
Judith

Thanks for chiming in!

Sherry, I did a search on the forum and saw your post about your Francesca being zapped..glad it's recovering. I'll be planting mine where it will be shielded from the afternoon sun. As for Pharisaer, it's a gamble. I almost got Soleil d'Or until I found out it was a blackspot disaster. I spray, so we'll see what happens...being an alternate, I might not even get it. They'll be coming the last week of April. The snow and ice wasn't too bad..it takes the first "event" of the season to get everybody back into Winter driving mode.

Janelle, I would love to visit the cemetery sometime. I like them, even better with roses.

Judith, that's good to hear about Royal Sunset :) You feel like it about how I feel about my Abe Darbys. I love Royal's colors. The form and color remind me of some of the tender climbing teas and noisettes that wouldn't do well here. Regardless, it sounds it'll be a winner.

Thanks, and love to hear more!

Eric

Eric, I ordered Soleil d'Or; I love the form and color so much. I spray for BS, so hopefully (keeping my fingers crossed) it will be OK. I'll let you know.

Hmm...I'm really likin' that Royal Sunset. I wonder how it would do here in frigid land? It is 10 lousy degrees this a.m. So much for the "new zones remapping" saying we're now Zone 6 here. It got down to 3 last night. Sorry I'm whining....

Good choice for your roses...BTW!
-terry

Yes Terry, please do let me know how Soleil does. I'm hoping it does well for you. And you're not whining. Boo on the 3 degrees. I think the coldest it's gotten here so far is 18. Do you have have a southern facing spot next to your house? That would be a good place to try it.

Eric

Eric, we took out the swimming pool this year; it was on the southside of the house and now I have this huge empty yawning space to fill that is below the deck. A lot of the Vintage roses are slated to go here. Part of this space is a large retaining wall where I will plant some of the roses on. But right now I'm devoid of inspiration of how to landscape the void...ideas are welcome and I have pictures if you get bored during winter.

18 degrees sounds like summer right now...ice is headed out way tomorrow..1/4" to 1/2" predicted. I remember the pics you posted of the tree that fell on your roses last year...I worry because we have a big huge old giant burr oak that is not too far from one of my rose gardens and it's not in the best of health at the top.

Enjoy your 'warm weather'. I'm jealous.
-terry

Here's hoping your tree won't fall, and if it does, lands in a rose/structure free zone. Some of my perennials got smushed by our tree...but they're toast now anyway.

If you can, email me a picture of the space you're trying to plan...I can certainly try helping.

Well Eric, they all had plenty of new red growth when I left home and it had dipped into the upper teens, but since I've been gone it has been 3degrees that I once saw.
I planted all you have listed except vicomtesse and geant.
FRancesca, this spring and a monster already, beautiful foliage.
The others this fall.

Len, that's great to hear about Francesca. Please give us all a progress report on how the others do, there are not a ton of zone 6'ers on here it seems.

Eric

I planted many half hardies it seems this year, I may not have many left after this winter,LOL! I will get home tuesday or wEd. I suppose the 3 teas and 2 chinas will be my bellweather flowers, especially zone 8 devoniensis.