They are all own root and supposedly Michigan winter hardy. Some have very little cane left (3-4 inches) but the others have 9-12+ inches. One I'm worried about has very few buds and looks browinsh red (but was heavily mulched). It doesn't look dead but the others look more promising. It had rose hips still attached so didn't suffer from browsing... It's a floribunda. Any ideas? Will it survive? (It was a favorite) Thanks! Also, if I transfer to pots (I'm moving this summer) before the end of dormancy should I wait until the chance of frost is gone? We regularily frost into May here...Can anyone tell it's my first year with roses?

I'm sure some of our found roses are self seedlings which volunteered somewhere. Rose seeds have long been available commercially, and particularly Chinas and "Fairy Roses" were distributed as seeds. R. Xanthina was brought to the US by Meyer (of Meyer Lemon fame) as seeds and raised once here. He found both single and double forms from those seeds. Slater's Crimson China, among others, was sent out as seed. It is very successful as a self seeder, too. Any wonder why there are so many variations, all identified as Slater's Crimson China? If "grandma" planted some seeds, or some came up in her garden, of course only the most vigorous, healthiest would have been selected to maintain. Those would likely have been the ones relatives passed around and even planted in the family plots. Often, selfs resemble the parents quite closely. Not exactly, but close enough for someone to look at them and proclaim they are this, or that variety. Grow them side by side and you'll see differences. Micro sports also occur all the time, altering basic traits just enough to change the rose so it's no longer the original. You might find a less, or more, double mutation. Take a look at Awakening and New Dawn. They COULD be mistaken for the same rose if you didn't know one or the other well enough, but they aren't the SAME rose. Kim

I never thought about an "official" season beginning any time. I seem to remember rushing to order from Palatine in early September one year (and still getting there too late to get that rose). And it seems to me that Austin rather lags a bit behind others which are taking orders in the fall and early winter (for next spring), with Austin being more toward the early winter. Some place that I do not remember once informed me they don't take orders until after the first of the year. With own root roses growing in a pot (like Roses Unlimited), early ordering isn't as essential since they won't mail out their orders to my region until May 15, even though I keep telling them that all danger of frost has passed by late April. If I want a rose very badly and/or worry that it will get sold out, I begin haunting their online site in September, all fall and early winters if necessary--but then I order just as soon as they open for the coming season. Most years I'd guess I do most of my ordering between Xmas and New Years, with an occasional order being put in later, but I know there are a number of forum posters who already or very shortly will have their order put in. Don't think there are any hard and fast rules--unless I've just missed them somehow. : ( My two orders for next spring were made this year during late Sept. and early Oct. Good luck. Kate

I too think it depends on the variety of rose and your growing conditions. My Lady Alexandra of Kent, I got from DA on its own root. When I received it I put it in a pot for a month or two until I could plant it in the ground. That rose took off and was over 7 feet tall the first year. In comparison, my own root Sister Elizabeth has stayed about a foot tall all year. Depends on the variety. All of my own root roses have done well and I have only lost one due to the excessive heat this last summer. Speakin of heat, I am in So. Cal. visiting my folks for the holidays and it was 88 degrees yesterday and it is supposed to be the same today. What is up with that? Meanwhile, we will be getting our first freezing Temps at home this week. Ugh! Time to cover the citrus. That being said, I do love my own root roses and am happy I won'the lose tem too rootstock again. I am typing from a tablet, so hopefully I don't have too many mistakes on this thing.