@User i am sorry to hear about the loss of income and of your orchids. i wish the best for you moving forward

I am so very sorry fo hear that as well Paul. I hope one day they will come back to you.

@User I'm sorry to hear that also. Is there anything we all can do to help? GoFundMe or something like that? We rallied together for Burling's well and I think many of us would be willing to donate to help you get through. I sincerely appreciate all you've been doing--you've been incredibly generous with your time and advice to all of us rose novices and I would be so happy if we could support you also.

And @Brandon Garner not all of Paul's roses are sold out. I found Mel's Heritage in stock at RVR: https://roguevalleyroses.com/rose/mels-heritage/

@Aaron Rosarian Zone 5b the mel's heritage isn't under the paul barden tab. At the time I wrote that I was referring to the roses in the paul barden tab.

@Aaron Rosarian Zone 5b

That's incredibly thoughtful of you to suggest it, but we are doing okay. Fortunately, we can "coast" on savings for now. But with the loss of income, it was simply for the best to reduce expenses and let go of the "luxuries" in our life. The heated Cattleya house was first on the list, costing at least $1000 a year to maintain. Its fine. In a way, it was a relief to just give it all up and free myself from the responsibility.

Some of the Cattleyas I had were extremely rare and I had become a archivist of sorts, which comes with a sense of responsibility. Based on what I've been told by a few "archivists" I know, there are currently SIX plants of this leftin the world, and I owned one of them. Oh well. I can take some satisfaction knowing that I had the honor of being its keeper for awhile.

@Alana8aSC

Thanks, I appreciate that. But no, I won't ever be in a position to repeat the experience. Re-acquiring the plants would not be possible. That's OK - I move on.

Well, I am truly very sorry you went through that. I couldn't imagine how heartbreaking it was, after years of growing them.

By the way, 'Ellen Tofflemire' and 'Gallicandy' are in stock at Hummingbird Roses.

-Chris

@chris209 (LI, NY Z7a) is Hummingbird taking orders now? I didn't get an update.

Hummingbird: She is not taking orders until, June 2022, last I saw.

I agree with Brandon, the price of roses is crazy, but in this economy, it was bound to happen. My husband reports price increases on anything almost daily. All our small stores have both supply chain issues and staffing issues, that is the ones that didn't have to close.

If I want roses, I'll have to order them our local nurseries are not going to ever get Austin Roses again, our big box stores carry Knock-out, Drift and a body bagged roses. Only Walmart carries a few potted newer roses, but only if they are pink (manager loves pink and no other color.) I was hoping that I could trade cuttings with others, but 3 local rose groups have not meet in person for almost 2 years. Many people who had old roses or old Austins don't want to share their gardens until Covid is over (Totally understandable.)

On a better note: Rouge Valley Roses, has a very helpful person who answers the phone. And when I was missing a rose, she was able to figure out the problem. I would give her a call.

Sounds like Humingbird Roses is taking reservations now but not shipping until spring. Here is the email I got with the availability list.

A Reverence for roses has Jeri Jennings and Licorice Tea

Says licorice tea is sold out now.

Ellen Tofflemire is now listed at High Country Roses if anyone is still looking for it.

I saw that last night, I was definitely surprised to see it there.

Awesome! Matt is a pleasure to deal with. Was this your doing Paul?

For those who grow Ellen Tofflemire, how is it in regard to suckering? Ive long admired Charles de Mills but I have come to terms with never planting it. My small garden couldn't handle it andwould be overun. Ellen Tofflemire is gorgeous and would be perfect if it was less spreading.

Ellen Tofflemire is already out of stock at HCR :(

@fig_insanity Z7b E TN I think HCR doesn't restock anything until after January 1. Look again in a day or so.

So glad to see it on HCR, but I think that they said it "will bloom throughout the season" is incorrect.

@librarian_gardner_8b_pnw My original plant of Ellen Tofflemire is 22 years old and has very slowly grown into a thicket about 7 feet across. It suckers slowly and rarely more than a few inches from its origin.

@User that sounds wonderful!

RE Ellen Tofflemire: it blooms once, so HCR’s description is wrong.

Well, HCR updated their inventory and Ellen Tofflemire is still showing as out of stock.

A couple of things I was really hoping for at HCR are still out of stock, including Boule de Neige and Scabrosa.

Yes me too, no Yolande d'Aragon, Morgengruss or Konigen von Danemark.

But I did score Great Maiden's Blush, Alchemist, Raubritter, and Constance Spry. So I'm pretty darn happy with that. It's such a relief to get the shopping done with, and I'm finally at the point where the space I have is pretty stuffed full with roses now and there truly is no more room available, so this order of 4 kind of "completed" things for me. Now I wait and see what does well, and eventually I can buy new if I need to replace something that isn't performing. I'm so excited with this order!!!

Sigh....maybe you'll be able to get some of those later in the season.

It's okay, I didn't have room for everything on my list anyway. Some of them were going to have to go unbought one way or another. But I am very pleased with what I did get, so I'm not bummed. I think I've got a pretty good variety of roses in my garden now. Can't wait to see which ones do the best.

I wish to purchase an Allegra. I prefer bare root delivery in the spring. Has anyone seen any for sale?

@ColleeninMHD 6a There are no nurseries producing 'Allegra' as a grafted/budded plant, so getting one as a bare-root spring delivery plant isn't an option. To the best of my knowledge, Rogue Valley Roses is still the ONLY nursery producing the variety.

Thank you for responding. I really appreciate it. I am on RVR waiting list. Fingers crossed.

HCR has a lot of lovely bourbons though--MPO and Honorine de Brabant! Boule de Neige is still available at RPN

Thanks. I think RPN is likely a good option for people more in the center and eastern part of the country. I'm not excited to order potted roses from Florida. The shipping is costly and I'm about as far away as you could get from them, I'd be worried about the roses getting a beautingl during shipping. I've had good results ordering own root plants from closer nurseries...I may just wait. Although, RPN is tempting! They have Annie Laurie McDowell too.

I have ordered from RPN and they made it out here fine. I think they used 3 day air. They have some very special treasures.

I have used RPN and have received great rose's! Shipping is high, but their rose's are super!

Thanks both of you. I'll consider it. I've been wanting both roses for a while.

Here are my orders: now I need to draw out a planting plan. I need to research how tall these will get to sketch out. I get a little confused by the descriptions of Height and Width in David Austin verses Help me Find and other sources. I need a growth comparison chart for colder zone and shorter growing season. I am never going to see Texas size rose bushes! I would appreciate your input.

@ColleeninMHD 6a great taste.

@ColleeninMHD 6a all those light pinks! You and @Lilyfinch z9a Murrieta Ca and @Mischievous Magpie (CO 5b) and I are big fans of them also (and probably a lot of other people, too). I'd highly recommend Eglantyne, Gentle Hermione, Sharifa Asma, and Heritage. GH in particular just glows a radiant, beautiful pink.

Aaron, thank you SO much for your suggestions! I have been so close to buying Gentle Hermione. And at least one of the ones I have on order is related to Heritage. How tall and wide do your old once blooming roses get in zone 5b? If they are described as 5-6’ tall, is that Texas tall or Massachusetts tall?

.....I honestly don't have old once blooming roses.....I think they're pretty but if I can get the same thing in a remontant rose I spring for that. I have enough once-blooming shrubs with my KS viburnum and president grevy lilacs. Belle de Crecy is in a plastic pot somewhere in my back yard and I'm not sure I want to plant it--already have so many roses coming as it is.

@Aaron Rosarian Zone 5b Is your BdC the one you got from the rose show last year?

it is! I am not sure which is which or which is still alive but I have that, a Salet (maybe?) and some other stragglers. I need a random place for my stuff so I can see what it grows up to be and whether or not I like it :p

I think we just need much, much larger yards somehow 🙃

But Aaron, most OBOGR , give you just as much if not more bloom than a remotant rose :) I get literally hundreds of blooms on Ispahan. I love the once bloomers. They will be my first love always! The second and third are Teas and Chinas. I have a few Noisette's now, once they mature we shall see. Ohh and Polyantha's go some how inbetween my First and second Loves of Roses. ;)

I agree, Alana. I have many remontant roses that I love, but so far, none have as impressive of a flush as my oldest once bloomer Madame Hardy. Time will tell as my garden matures.

^^^ I fell in love first with Madame Hardy!!! Still have not gotten her. That button is perfect!

Darn you two--Mme Hardy is one of the few once-bloomers I'm hemming and hawwing about. I was thinking Boule de Neige might be similar with the button eye, which is why I sprang for that instead. David Austin loved the flower shape of BdN. I've also got Commandant Beaurepaire somewhere--maybe a dead twig--which is or isn't remontant depending on whom you ask. I'll find a place for a once-bloomer someplace, but it has to be absolutely spectacular.

Look into that button …

This is what I got in place of Mme Hardy ( sold out at Palatine) I can not wait to see this one grow in front of my French doors, I want to smell it all June in 6a!

I need to create a spread sheet of all the roses I have ordered to keep track of their progress and growth in 6a. I have 12 big ones to place in very specific spots in my yard, inbetween evergreens, hydrangeas and other roses. I am going to be very busy in April!