Zuzu and Mike, several months ago I was looking through some really old receipts to hammer down the actual purchase year of a few that are missing that info in my data base. One from Pickering in 1998 has 5 roses at $9 each with $13 total shipping. One from Roses Unlimited from 2002 has 2 roses at $13 each with $8 per rose shipping. One from Regan in 2002 has 14 roses ranging from $15-$17 each with $37 total shipping. Anyway Zuzu, sounds like you hit the jackpot with your Wayside order in 2003!

Then Wayside was a bargain in every way because the shipping for my five roses and the pot of Omphalodes totaled $6.95.

I think I must have been good at waiting for sales. I have another 2003 bill from Arena Roses, which was a cut above Wayside, and the prices I paid for Johann Strauss and Colette were $2.99 and $3.74, respectively. Arena's shipping charge was $7.95, but my order included four perennials in pots.

Today's garden stars are:

Abracadabra, the Warriner hybrid tea, not the Kordes.



Aloha, the Boerner climber



Aloha, the Kordes climber



Baronne Henriette de Snoy



California Dreamin'



Dixieland Linda



Helen Hayes



Kisme



Madame Lombard



Photogenic



President Herbert Hoover



Spectra



Winter Sunset

Yes, some 20 years ago, you could buy a rose bush for a couple of bucks. Those were sales prices. I remember when I started my front garden, I needed to buy "something with thorns" to discourage dogs to enter and dig my front garden, which is on the boulevard. That fall, I bought 20 or 30 roses for 2$, 2.50$, no more than 3.50$. Not only did the garden centers offer better prices, but even the smallest groceries stores carried a variety of plants. For example, every summer, the Canadian Tire garden center use to hire a team of real, highly educated horticulturists and foresters, people who knew what they were talking about. They were running the garden centers.
Nowadays, the garden centers around my house offer only basic varieties of plants. For anything else, we have to go to the specialized nurseries or order online.

That's true down here in the Excited States, too Jasmin. Home Depot, Lowe's and Wal-Mart all have large garden centers full of basic stuff, and staffed with people who know nothing about plants. Lowe's is a bit better than the others, but still gets plants that have no business being sold in Florida at the stores down here where I am.

When I need other supplies or hardware I go to Lowe's and 'cruise' their clearance racks, affectionately known as the Death Racks. Any plant that finishes blooming or wilts because it didn't get properly watered ends up on those racks and if you can get to them before they die, they're a good bargain. Otherwise if you want good plants or anything specific you must shop your local nursery. Better to keep the local vendors in business anyway, jmho.

It's Honesty Day.

dyzzypyxxy said:

When I need other supplies or hardware I go to Lowe's and 'cruise' their clearance racks, affectionately known as the Death Racks. Any plant that finishes blooming or wilts because it didn't get properly watered ends up on those racks and if you can get to them before they die, they're a good bargain. Otherwise if you want good plants or anything specific you must shop your local nursery. Better to keep the local vendors in business anyway, jmho.

Totally agree! I got several nice plants from Lowe's "death racks". They are doing very well now. Although I don't have space for new roses, last year I could not resist and bought Aurora Borealis rose from Lowe's "death rack". I had been admiring Aurora Borealis roses the whole summer, but finally, when I saw one dying at Lowe's, I took pity and bought the rose for five bucks. It is doing very well now Hopefully, it will bloom this year The colour is amazing. It's a small rose, nothing like big roses that can thrive in Florida or California. Fortunately, I like single flowers, so I don't suffer (too much) that I cannot grow big and beautiful roses.

I tried to find a picture of the Aurora Borealis on the Internet, but simply, that vibrant fall pink colour of the Aurora Borealis does not come across in the pictures. It is pink and yellow, but the pink has a different undertone, it reminds me of brandy, like when the light shines through a bottle of brandy.

https://www.niagarathisweek.co...

By the way, Lowe's is leaving Canada. We are getting Rona instead.

"Death Racks" Over the last 2 years of drought I picked up probably dozens of plants that survived without problems. This year I am moving them into a garden layout that provides for mature spacing, texture, bloom time and color. If not for the clearance pricing I would not have been able to put aside so many plants. Hoping the layout works but not my forte. Picked up quite a few rose varieties that are tough - just prune and feed. They were $5. Can't beat that. Just missed out on Cora Louise peonies that were $109 for $10. Someone was loading 4 big ones onto her cart. She had no idea what they were or how to care for them. So I filled her in. Wish I would have got there 5 minutes earlier.

Jasmin said: For example, every summer, the Canadian Tire garden center used to hire a team of real, highly educated horticulturists and foresters, people who knew what they were talking about. They were running the garden centers.
Nowadays, the garden centers around my house offer only basic varieties of plants. For anything else, we have to go to the specialized nurseries or order online.

My Canadian Tire Store hires a bunch of know nothings to work the garden centre. They are mostly kids who can BS with the best of them, pretending to be knowledgeable but I know when what they are telling me is not true. They are quick on their feet making up answers to people's questions but never admitting they don't know the answer. Whoever does the ordering for the season doesn't seem to get the plants that are suitable for 2b zone, always zones farther south. They always order the same old, same old every year. I always look for something new and exciting, very seldom find it. One thing that I search for each year is asters which I only found once in maybe 10 years. I don't even think that these people know that plants need water because many times the plants are near death from being so dry. It is a very frustrating situation for us gardeners here.

Zuzu, the pics of the roses are just beautiful.

Thanks, LittleAnnie.

Got my roses from DA… Never again!
PAOK, definitely will ask for refund

Boscobel, looks OK, palanted.

Eustacia Vye Rose, need an advise, should I keep it? It looks like own roots?

What a shame, Elena, to have to wait so long and then have the roses be so disappointing.

Busy day, busy night. I'll post today's rose photos in the May thread tomorrow.

Elena999 said: Got my roses from DA… Never again!
PAOK, definitely will ask for refund

Boscobel, looks OK, palanted.

Eustacia Vye Rose, need an advise, should I keep it? It looks like own roots?

I've never gotten grafted roses, but, the top one looks like a butcher got a hold of it or part of the roots broke off. Maybe diseased or dead and pruned off? What is wrong with the bottom rose?
It's so disappointing, waiting with excitement and expectations, and then the plants are lousy.

I just went through this with Heirloom when my Firefighter had dark spots all over the stems. I got my refund and I hope they give you yours.

Not only is the top rose damaged, but the canes are withered; it's a complete gonner. But the other two look OK; in fact, the roots on the bottom rose look great, so take heart. But with the tag where it is, it's not possible to see if this is grafted (small bud union perhaps) or growing on its own roots.

Thank you folks! As soon as I unpacked shipment from DA, I have jumped into the car and went to the local nursery and grabbed the last one PAOK (and one other rose).
I have order with DA only because of Munstead Wood (hard to find locally), other roses of my choice were available locally in 3 gal for $32(!!) and $50. Silly me.
Mike, I will make another picture without tag, but planning to plant this rose anyway.
Now I am officially done. So far all roses are good, my old ones will be blooming in a week I guess. Hope to post my own rose parade!

Too bad about your DA order. Looks like they were handled roughly. My Eustacia Vye, which I received last year, was a small bare root and took awhile to establish. Not much happening with my roses just yet but EV is leafing out. Looks stronger as time goes on. Princess Anne of Kent is one of my favorites and is a vigorous grower even though the deer love to chew it down. Lady of Shallot was doing ok last year but seems dead now. Think the mice may have moved in underground. I wish DA roses were available at local nurseries around here. Enjoy your DA's for $32 - nice deal! But are you ever really officially done?

Burpee's site shows they are carrying Munstead Wood ... for what seems like a reasonable price.

https://www.burpee.com/rose-mu...

Munstead Wood sold out.