OK. It's months later and the roses I received this spring have begun to show what they can do. While I was a little less than completely impressed with the amount of moisture that seemed to be in the canes of roses received from Garden Valley Ranch, I now find that the roses all did well. Yes, most are materially less developed than all the roses from Palatine, but unlike the roses from Edmunds they all remain alive. So I guess that the care they received at GVR is actually pretty effective at preserving the health of the rose.
There is some variability among the roses from GVR. As seems to be true among several retail suppliers, the roses raised by Weeks seemed the weakest. By contrast, one or two of the David Austin roses rivaled Palatine roses. Still, I am happy to be growing Showbiz and Brass Band. I can imagine ordering from them again.
Speaking of hydration, I received a Compassion from DA roses a year and a half ago and it appeared to have been soaked to a crispy crunch. A light touch would snap off a piece of root or a bit of cane. The rose quickly died despite the fact that I kept it carefully watered. Has anyone ever encountered a rose that was over-hydrated and died because of it?
