For a variety of reasons, they're closed this year. They've had trouble with customs and weren't able to ship plants to the United States, and the father of the family died. They may reopen next year, but our days of ordering grafted plants from Pickering may be over. They reported a few years ago that they couldn't afford to continue offering grafted roses and were going to switch over to own-root plants for cost-cutting purposes.
Here's the message Joel Schraven posted this year:
Please note: Pickering Nurseries will not open for the 2015 season.
The rose growing industry has seen a great many changes in the last 10 years. Unfortunately, the majority of these changes were negative for both the companies involved and their bottom lines. The pesticide ban enacted by Ontario in the mid 2000's, an increase in hybridizer royalty rates and how they are calculated, a glut of cheap US grown roses coupled with the Canadian government changing both import and export regulations (unable to ship to the US 2013 and additional ongoing issues with our root stock) have left me with no choice but to stop shipping roses for this season. Over the last several years Pickering Nurseries has been exploring alternative propagation techniques and changes to our business model. Both of these things are still a work in progress. We hope to have a small, core selection of rooted cuttings available in the spring of 2016.
It is also with great sadness we announce the passing of Joseph Schraven, my father and founder of Pickering Nurseries, on May 27th. (Pictured below)
In closing, I would like to extend thanks to all our long time customers and our colleagues in the industry and we hope to be able to serve you in the future.
Best regards,
Joel Schraven
Pickering Nurseries
