Thanks for the heads up, Ingrid! I may try to snag a couple more Munstead Woods for some friends/design clients. Carol

Mine came yesterday also. Reports of a massive discard of beloved varieties do seem to have been somewhat exaggerated. Still popular oldies include Sharifa Asma (non-virused, one hopes), Mary Rose and even Galloping Gert. and some turn of the century offerings like 'Miss Alice' are still available.

I thought the zone recommendations might be a bit optimistic. I have no doubt that Alba Hybrids and probably also Old Rose Hybrids will survive zone 5 winters, and possibly even the English Musk group, but Leander Hybrids? At 27.95 each, I will let someone else make that experiment.

Prices are nowhere less than $26. each, and no free shipping if you buy more than one. I shall probably buy Jubilee Celebration, because I am unable to resist any rose which has the word 'alba' attached to it.

Is it just me, or is it the light I use, but did anyone else notice that all the photos in the DA catalog seemed a little more "blue" this year? A lot of the pinks seem to have morphed into lilacs, reds into purples, etc.

These days one can find DAs all over the place, both retail and mail-order, so the catalog is more or less for decoration and reference. Of course, it is good that the older varieties are still for sale.

I like ordering from DA - their plants are huge, great root systems and always grow well. Compared to places like Heirloom Roses, even w/ free shipping, the roses are superior. I am lucky to live near Tyler so I pick my roses up with no shipping charges. They told me no more discards at this time - I hated to see them ditch some of the lovely, older varieties but hopefully other nurseries will pick those up and carry them.

The benefit (for me) of ordering roses rather than getting them from a local nursery is that I can get own-roots. Nurseries here only carry grafts, and Austin's own roots are truly as big as the grafted ones. Comparing to, say, Heirloom's gallons, they are much bigger and less expensive.

But I wonder why they are sending out their catalog so late? Rose dreaming occurs long before this time (at least for me), and I've had the catalogs from other companies for a while now.

Austin typically sends their catalog out late, don't know why. I have asked them in their office why - they say they send it out when it comes to them. I go to Tyler pretty often [lots of great nurseries there!] and I call to find out when catalog is in and I pick mine up earlier than I would receive it by mail. By the way - they are totally redoing their offices, got a huge new complex, so the business must be doing well. Wish they would open a retail store there......I usually call in September to see what new roses they will be offering.

I enjoy the catalog but feel they could change the pictures they use . Seems like a lot are repeats from previous yearsand I would love to see more !

I am waiting to see what my local nursery is offering . They will send out what they have ordered for spring and they let you reserve them . This way , the bare roots break dormancy on their hands .. not mine ;)

Weird....I got my catalog mid December . And the coupon code I received said it was good until February 24th.

if there's a code that's good til March, please share. I've already placed an order but may want something else but need more funds first.

Just got my new Country Gardens magazine - there is a DA ad in there that offers 10% off until March 31 by using the code CG12. Hope that helps!

I love my DA roses but they never look like the tidy plants in the catalog in my garden. There is no way I could get one to be happy in a pot either. However, I would buy one of each if I had the space!

For a 15% discount use code ULH online until March 24th; code ULC for catalog orders.

You're welcome, lol.

I love my DA roses but they never look like the tidy plants in the catalog in my garden.

It's the way they prune them, and also the climate. Much more growth here, and faster. I saw a photo somewhere of an Austin in their UK garden, pruned as a climber--leaves had not grown back so the structure was visible--how it was done was incredibly precise so each stem produced a flower or flower cluster, with even spacing between each. I want lessons on how they do that!