Speaking of rose prices good and bad, I wanted to say that I was wowed by the size of the plants I received from Reverence for Roses. Thanks for the heads-up. Hoping I can keep them alive since the top growth seems a little out of proportion to the size of the root system. Still, a lot of rose cane for the price: well beyond the height to be ravaged by rabbits. The deer were fond of the lush green new growth on China roses Napoleon and Cramoisi Superior; but they ignored Carefree Wonder. Penelope arrived without leaves.
Nice link, Carol. As much as I complain, a large part of the reason is that roses brought me to gardening. I can still remember how easy to grow a rose can be. Interestingly, my one Knock Out rose is not performing quite so well as most of my DA roses and most multiflora hybrids (counting floribundas).
I think the own-root recommendation derives from the high probability, in frosty places, of a scion dying of frost after a year or two in the garden. The whole PNRV thing shifted a lot of people to own-root roses, once. I don't think this would occur to many other people, but sometimes rose collectors might want smaller plants so they can fit more cultivars into their gardens. All that said, I'm just about done buying HT roses on their own roots. With thirty pounds of elemental sulfur added to the garden this season to lower the pH, looks like I'm invested in getting Palatine's roses to grow here.
edited for grammar.
