Got a call two or three days ago from Mark Grim saying he was ready to ship my roses. "But," I objected, " The ground here is frozen solid." At least it is where I plan to plant these roses. "You do have cold storage?" I asked.
"Of course. I just thought since you were in Arizona..." he answered. "You must be up north."
"Yeah. I usually take delivery in mid March," I told him although it's usually a week or two later. I just don't like the idea of having someone who neither knows nor cares what zone I live in holding on to my roses any longer than absolutely necessary.
And, of course, three or four of the roses that his web site said were available when I ordered are not in the order.
At least he did not charge me in British pounds. He complained to me that his web site had been doing that. GVR is a lovely place to visit. Everyone who loves roses in the landscape should see how well GVR deploys them - when they are in that part of the country. I'm not sure I'll order roses from them. Not for a while.
