OK. So now my order from GVR is in the ground. They arrived with beautiful cardboard tags identifying the cultivar and the production house. It's not something I'm used to seeing. The timing could hardly have been worse; the shipment arrived in the middle of a snow storm. But I have gotten ahead of myself.
It was an odd experience from start to finish. I ordered in September, and the online catalogue said many of the roses were already out of stock. Next day I got an e-mail saying their server had crashed and if I had ordered in a particular period of time, I should re-submit my order. But I hadn't so I didn't. Then, with every communication the list got shorter. They deleted Hot Tamale, one of three Brass Band, and both Lady of Guadalupe. Not a big deal for the two I can easily get from J&P next year - assuming some continuity in their catalogue.
I mentioned in a comment above that they were going to ship in February, even though I had asked for March delivery. And now I know that it was a big mistake to ask them to reschedule. The roses had been kept in cold storage with damp newspapers on the roots. There was no evidence that they sprouted while in cold storage. But the roots were pretty dry. And there was some desiccation of some canes. They would definitely have been in better condition if they had spent the time here, in the ground. But I did not have a crystal ball to tell me whether it would fall below 17F in that interval, and it certainly did get to 20F.
I will certainly never again order David Austin roses from GVR. Their DA roses came from the DA facility - they bear DA rose tags. Roses produced by and shipped directly from DA roses arrive in much better condition: they are bigger, the canes are greener, and the roots are still moist to the touch. The impression created by the marked difference in size is that DA roses sells their grade 1 roses directly, but fobs off their grade 2 roses to places like GVR which, in turn mark them up to the price DA charges. Even if it were not the case, that extra distribution step can do the roses no good.
I accidently ordered Sunsprite from two nurseries, Edmunds and GVR. So I planted some in the same bed to see whether there is much difference between them. Should be interesting.
Would I order from them again? I don't know. Definitely not for roses I can get from DA and from J&P. GVR might be a viable place from which to obtain Star roses such as Papa Meilland and Gina Lolobrigida. It might be a good place to buy Weeks roses. I know that it is a lovely retail center and that it is easy to fall under its spell. And that's certainly reason for people within driving distance of the store to buy roses from GVR. But I live much farther away, and I'm inclined to try a few other sources first.
