Hi jumbojimmy, Most of the roses i see for sale at the local nurseries & garden centres are on Fortuniana rootstock. They are all sourced from Jarrahdale roses. You might like to try Melville Rose Nursery & Gardens or The Swiss Rose Gardens. Both are located in Perth and both stock plants on fortuniana. I made sure to choose the varieties which do not grow much more than a metre or so high. I just scored a "Pretty Jessica" in full flower, the scent and flower shape are great!

I ordered three GCs a couple weeks ago and can't wait to get them in the ground. I've been growing a few other Austins here in Michigan. Jude the Obscure, Pat Austin, Bishop's Castle, and William Shakespeare 2000. I'm quite a novice, but have had success in Michigan planting bare root with either Austin's Rootgrow that contains mycorrhizal fungi or Espoma's Bio-tone® Starter Plus which is an all natural plant food enhanced with biostimulants, beneficial bacteria and mycorrhizae. These must be in direct contact with the root to maximize effectiveness at planting. So planting bare root is a great way to go when using this approach. The theory is the fungi tap back into the soil to draw massive quantities of minerals and nutrients, mainly phosphorus, which a Rose desperately requires to bloom. I follow a regular schedule of Bayer All-in-One (3x per season), Rose Tone(3x per season), and Alaska® Fish Emulsion(4x per year). I know I contradict my otherwise organic approach by using the All-in-One, but I'm not a sprayer kind of guy. Someone told me that the Mycorrhizae improve plant growth and help the root system be more resistant to soil borne diseases. The roots give the Mycorrhizae sugars in exchange. They supposedly help improve performance for less-than-perfect soil, watering, and fertilizing. Again, I'm a novice. Very much so, but so far, this has worked for me.

May I respectfully point out that Austin roses are under patent and really shouldn't be traded this way. There are lots and lots of true antiques to trade that are not under patent. Many provide the same romance although perhaps not the distinctive Austin color palette. Look at the Pemberton hybrid musks, the noisettes and the hybrid perpetuals..there are great large flowered climbers and true tea roses..

Deborah, some of the bare roots I got from DA in 2021 were tiny and not great, either. I thought the same things as you. Luckily, the two that were small and sad took off in the 2nd year. I don't grow James L Austin but I've heard others compare them in the same way as you. I like fragrance too much sosososososososososososososososososososososososososososososososososososososososososososososososososososososososososososososososo So I decided to just try GO. And I'm glad I did, he's aa becoming a favorite. Houzz gremlins are at v again. I'm glad aa DA replaced yours. If mine hadn't shaped up last yearyear, I'd be in the same position as you.