What a difference two decades make! Heirloom is quite a bit better than it was in the early 1990's, IMO.
My roses shipped UPS on Monday. I planted my roses Thursday afternoon. They shipped in the same size bands that VG uses, which is a big step up from what they used long ago. In most cases the roots were well enough developed that there was no disintegration of the potting medium with the pots removed. The canes ranged from seven to eleven inches in length. Foliage was dark, healthy, and growing vigorously, which means that the plants should get off to a pretty good start given that the soil here is moist and the sun bright. I was so happy with them that once they were in the ground I went back to Heirloom to look for more roses at the reduced price; but the sale was over.
This experience changed my mind. When I find cultivars at Heirloom that suit my needs perfectly I will not hesitate to pay $17.50 for roses of similar caliber.
