I have some bands that have been in the pots [from one gallon repotted to 4 gallon]. They are huge! I enjoy growing bands out until they are quite large. I realize most people want to get them in the ground as fast as possible, but I lost some bands I had grown out in gallon pots for months in our extremely hot summer last year that previously were doing fine - then 105 degrees for 3 solid months. They didnt make it in spite of care and watering. Heat just cooked them. The ones I am growing out in pots now are enormous and so healthy and making buds. I feel when I am ready to plant them in beds - they will be big and strong enough to really take off. I find most of my young bands dont put out that many buds - they concentrate on building roots and growing leaves. Seems when I repot them into 4 gallon pots is when they really start making buds I fertilize and spray these potted bands well - and I am really seeing results this spring. I just got in lovely orders from Rogue Valley and Heirloom - Vintage's will come later this month. All these bands are super healthy - I have potted a few up and they are growing great. I will not put them in full hot sun - this seems to have worked best for these growing bands - and especially protection from afternoon sun. I have fertilzed them with Mills Magic Rose Mix, epsom salts and alfalfa pellets, then [new to me but well recommended] Microlife last week. I am in east Texas, so dont know how the colder climates would fare with bands. I really enjoy watching them grow and progress.

Guerrero Rose Farm in Ontario is pretty good about letting you know on the phone if they have the roses on your list before making the drive over there. They are on Euclid off the 60 or the 10, not too far from you I think. (909)988-0015

I looked in the Combined Rose List for 2010 and didn't see any nursery listed that carried all three. Since Dr. John Dickman is an exhibition miniflora, while the other two are miniatures that have been around for a while, he is not likely to be carried by the same nurseries as the older minis. Only one nursery was listed that carried both of the minis, Rosemary's Roses in California, but they don't have Dr. John Dickman. Sorry I can't be more help.

I've been growing roses solely in pots for about 3-4 years now. Being in Australia, I don't have much advice on cheap pots, but I would second Nik's advice that bigger is better. I mostly start mine off in the smaller sizes, then go as big as I can get, depending on the rose and how fast it grows- the biggest pots in use at the moment are about 45 cm (about 18 in, but they sell them by diameter not gallon size here), I'm long overdue for another upsize on quite a few of my roses. Haha and I already have a shed full of smaller sized pots... When ever I pot up, I'm rewarded by an extra flush of growth- they're a lot happier. Not sure of your weather patterns, but I've noticed that during our hot spells, the black pots (especially ones in direct sun) soak up the heat - they are sometimes almost uncomfortably hot to the touch - which cant be good for them. I'm trying to rotate out the black ones, inconvenient as it is, as they tend to be the most easily available and the cheapest. The smaller pots also dry out twice as fast as the large ones. The other issue is that potted roses are so much more dependent on you for all their care..that means more care with fertilizer, watering, decent soil..etc etc..and judging by the ones in my neighbours yards, they wont ever get quite as big, or floriferous, as they do in the ground. Good luck..its a learning experience.