Raft Island Roses near Gig Harbor is excellent; may not have Westerland now. Better to wait till fall or even spring. At Molbak's last week, I learned it will be getting some roses in fall. If not too hot, you could start preparing your bed or spot for your new rose.

I just searched for the Antique Rose Farm in Snohomish...It looks as if they're closed. Anybody know what's happened?

At Molbak's last week, I learned it will be getting some roses in fall.

Presumably either the supplier talked them into accepting bare-rooted stock in November, which they would then have to pot up and overwinter themselves (instead of the grower or supplier overwintering them in cold storage) or they are getting some blooming, potted roses of the ground cover or patio etc. types that are often supplied that way.

November is the stormiest and wettest month of the year in this area, December the coldest. The average temperature starts dropping in mid-August and plummets, so that by October it is much colder than it was in August. Any fall planting of specimens with mostly intact roots (potted stock nearly always needs some work) that is going to be done during that season in order to take advantage of the annual peak of root extension that takes place then needs to occur early enough that roots are still active. November will be too late for this in many instances - definitely too late for bare-rooted stock to do anything except sit there all winter, as though still in the warehouse. That is why bare-rooted stock is traditionally shipped and planted at the end of winter - new roots do not appear on woody plants in this condition until new shoot growth starts in spring.

I would find out what, exactly they were talking about before deciding this autumnal offering represented any kind of advantage to you over having to wait for the main season at the end of winter. Even with retailers like Christianson's that buy in a large selection of roses this selection falls off markedly after the early season, when bare-rooted stock has been recently received and potted. When there are particular kinds you are looking for, that aren't among the comparative minority of cultivars shipped as growing and blooming, potted plants by suppliers during the spring or summer you either have to shop early in the year or order from print catalogs or web sites.

If not too hot, you could start preparing your bed or spot for your new rose

If you are talking about incorporating organic amendments or other soil texture modifiers like sand, that is a dis-proven practice. University researchers conducting organized trials using controls (untreated plants that served to provide a basis for comparison) were seeing better results from planting woody plants in loosened, existing soils without modification 46 years ago. This difference in outcomes is due to how amending of small areas affects the movement of water into and out of the hole or small bed.

Even when a large bed is amended, where water movement will be adversely affected mostly near the edge if only organic amendments are used these will decompose and disappear long before the life of the planting is over.

I don't know what happened to the Rose Farm but I see that yes, their web site is gone and now that you mention it they may not have sent me any mailers this year. It wouldn't surprise me if their sales fell off too much for them to stay open during this time of tomato plants etc. being what is exciting the most interest - other rose nurseries have been closing in recent years also. Maybe their business phone number still works and if you try calling it (if you haven't already) there is a recording saying what's up. A friend with a computer help business had his web site go south on him while he was in the hospital unexpectedly - the disappearance of a web site doesn't necessarily mean a company has closed.

Embothrium, I am curious about the recommendations on soil amendments. If one lives in an area with poor soil (nitrogen poor, mainly) what does one do? Just plant things that grow in poor soil?

The Antique Rose farm in Snohomish is open and has a wonderful selection of roses. I was there last week on a Wednesday morning. Their selection of climbers was not as extensive as earlier this year, but its worth checking. I've bought at least 6 roses from this nursery over the past 4 years and all of this plant material is robustly healthy. They also give great advice and have less well known material. They price favorably in comparison to Molbaks or Swansons.