I rarely have that problem with roses unless they come from afar. One of the best vendors I have done business with is Amity Heritage, and invariably, not only do their roses have buds, but some leaves will be falling off which only means that they lacked oxygen in transit and will be replacing the old with the new. Some of the best roses in my garden came from Amity and yes, they are small, but they are great to deal with. As far as Ashdown, ARE, Chamblee, RU, I never have that problem, probably because they take a limited amount of time to get here, but I still think Amity's roses are some of the best I have ever bought and will continue buying from them that which I cannot get from closer nurseries, knowing that the yellowing leaves that are falling off are going to be gone soon and new ones will appear. However, my recipe for them is to keep them in a baking pan in my kitchen window with about an inch of water and I take them out at noon each day for a day in the sun. Once it starts warming up, I keep them out longer each day, by taking them out a couple hours in the morning, around noon and late afternoon. After a couple weeks, they are acclimated and ready to go in the ground and some of the best roses I have.

I am curious as to whether you have already made a decision too. China roses love heat, and this one, Cramoisi Superior/Agrippina, keeps a nice shape and size in my garden, where things tend to become giants. HMF says it is good to zone 10. Jackie I would also vote for Grandmother's Hat - also HMF zone 10. I finally got one after Jeri told me that Annie's Annuals had it a few years ago. I love it!

One thing to keep in mind about 'Edgar Degas' not being available until 2018 is that if its patent began when it was introduced in 1997 -- and it lasts 20 years -- that may be why Linda won't be making it available until then, since she can't begin to propagate it without paying royalties until 2017. I don't have much to add, since all the nurseries I've used have been mentioned. I will say that I do have them ranked in terms of whom I ask first when seeking particular roses: Long Ago Roses and Burlington Roses get asked first, because of high quality and very reasonable prices. If they don't have what I want, then I check Rose Petals Nursery or Angel Gardens. These two are also top-notch, but cost including shipping is a bit higher, though not much. These two also tend to specialize in what grows well for them in Florida, so don't expect much in the way of once-blooming old Europeans, though there are a few tucked in. For those cold-hardy oldies, I check High Country Roses. They also have a few hard-to-find species. If there's still something I can't find, I check Rogue Valley Roses or Roses Unlimited. RVR has an amazing selection, but their bands are at the higher end of the spectrum. Also expect about 10% or so to come mislabeled, but my experience is that 1) it's usually nearby alphabetically, so you sometimes end up with something you didn't know you wanted, and 2) if you do need a replacement, emailing some pics and calling the office will get the mistake corrected. RU also has a great selection, but they lean more toward the moderns than does RVR. But they also send hefty 1gal plants. This also means shipping is a bit more if you're not on the east coast, but it's not that bad since I'm in NJ. If I need something with faster impact, I go with RU. If I don't mind nursing something along, I go with RVR. I haven't mentioned Heirloom because I haven't ordered from them since the company changed hands. I will say that they're going more in the direction of modern roses, and the few remaining oldies I can easily find elsewhere. So it's not that I ever had a problem with their roses -- it's just that there isn't as much that they have which catches my eye. But I wouldn't hesitate to order from them should that change. :-) ~Christopher

It is like showing me two dresses and ask me which I like ? I like both and since I can't pick one most likely I will get both. Look at both the roses.. different styles, different cut ( bloom) , different colour and most likely different scent. SoFl, I feel as if I am getting into the same boat. I have room but it is matter of time that I will door be out of space. My husband is already asking me. 40 is not enough..Geezs, Jin. I want French roses, possibly a few Islanders, Antique ( mostly ) and also DA ( mostly ). Any perfumes made of roses like Nahema is on my want list. Then , I want big blooms which are big roses. I have a long , long lists lastly climbing roses which I also have a list. Trying to cut half my list by is not working :( Cori Ann, you are killing me too....your roses are beautiful. Really gorgeous. Jin