I got the 2010 Test Panel roses in containers this past Fall. I transplanted them immediately to bigger pots, but they still stayed pretty small because the weather was so cold early on, but they were still healthy when I moved them into the garage to overwinter with the rest of my Pot Ghetto. I think i got one or two squatty little blooms that weren't of much account yet, so I am hoping that come Spring they take off and grow better. I did like the photos of the blooms for this group, especially the DPOW lookalike so I am hoping they will be vigorous growers. I didn't spray them at all this Fall after getting them and even with the high BS pressure around here they all four stayed completely clean and that was very encouraging. I was really irked that they sent a floribunda in the group and let them know about it so they actually sent me a free Sedona rose to make up for it. My Sedona rose that was one of the 2009 Test Panel never broke dormancy and died and when I asked for another they said they didn't have any more and would just have to reimburse me for the rose. Of course I didn't believe that since Sedona is their "2010 Rose of the Year" so I knew they had to have plenty of them in stock and were just trying to cheap me out by reimbursing the $10 instead of sending me another Sedona that they could sell for $20 bareroot. I can be a jerk sometimes when I feel I am getting ripped off. I really liked the lavender and red test roses in the 2009 Test Panel and I am sure I will like the Sedona now that I have it. The lavender had lots of really pretty made and fragrant blooms and was a standout. The red is a medium cherry red and the blooms are large though scentless. They don't really have high center form--more decorative--but they are still very pretty and make good cut flowers because they have long stems and last a long time. Also, the reds repeat bloom is very quick and it almost seems to be in constant bloom. I think both of these will be commercially marketed by J&P and am surprised to not have heard about them yet. The yellow HT in the 2009 panel is a real dog and I will definitely not be keeping it at all. Small, ugly, and scentless blooms on very weak stems that can't support even those little blooms. I don't know how that one even qualified to make the test panel in the first place. I think it's about the most disappointing test panel rose I have ever grown. I still have Malibu, Summer of Love, Peppermint Splash, and the JACelvet DR from 2008 but I am not so sure the Malibu and Summer of Love will survive this winter. I transplanted all four into the garden this past Spring and these two immediately took a nose dive while the other two did extremely well. I really think the DR JACelvet they haven't released here in the USA is the best of the four still even though it was really tough to get to break dormancy. I heard rumor that they were going to graft it onto understock--Dr. Huey of course--and re-release it later, so I am just waiting to see what they actually do. I know alot of rosarians think the Test Panels are a waste of time and money but I enjoy growing them for some odd reason so I will continue to do it anyway. I have gotten some very pretty roses this way including a few that they didn't market but I liked well enough to keep. John

Gorgeous! I'm so glad you got such a beautiful, healthy replacement! Heaven on Earth is a very beautiful rose; I have seen lots of photos from the Gallery and am always impressed...

Having had a couple failures in a May shipment, I have made endless phone calls to J&P, consuming considerable time, to try and get a credit. I cannot get into the website for the order information and neither can they! They say that the information on the order was never forwarded from the "old" J&P customer service. I can't get them to send me a password or activate the web account there, so it's all in limbo. I just sent them a snail mail today, to SC, in hopes of getting it resolved, but I'm not hopeful and expect to go to my card carrier as well. Too bad, because the fall catalog with the new for 2009 roses arrived over the weekend too! Regards, Bob

Oh, Vettin, I'm so sorry, I could be wrong, but I don't think anyone carries FAIREST ONE (aka MERLOT) anymore. That's why I snapped it up fast last year. I was afraid with the J&P thing going on, that I would never be able to grow it if I didn't get to Ritter's nursery early--which I made sure that I did. Glad I did because they quickly flew out of there. I'm sorry, Vettin. :( Thanks for the update on your FAIREST ONE's performance so far this year, Azure Rose. Hmmm...weak necks you say? I wondered about that as I saw Beth's photo on HMF, and it looked like it had a weak neck. Mine had weak necks at first. Hoping to correct this fault, I watered the heck out of it all summer long & fertilized it with a Miracle-Gro continuous 3 months feed. Happily, the stems got stronger and much more upright, but not vigorously so. I sure hope yours get, and mine keeps getting, stronger necks this year because as you say the flowers are fantastic!...just perfection! :-)