Roger - I regularly "rescue" the poor bagged things too (I brought
home 20 of them this year) and while very few of this year's refugees
appear to have been mislabeled, it certainly does happen - OFTEN.

It's sometimes known as "rose roulette" or "Forrest Gump Roses" - you
never know just what you're going to get. Most of the cheapo brands
come from Tyler or Lindale, Texas, so consider that a warning label
rather than a mark of quality.

Also keep in mind that although they are bargains now, it will take at
least one year of care (and probably two) for them to "catch up" with
the larger, already established and higher quality potted roses that
are otherwise available. Paying an extra 15-20 bucks to save yourself
the extra year is usually the best bet.

If you want to get a yellow rose from Texas, ordering from Chamblee as
Thorny suggested is probably your best source. It's also a good time
of year for browsing local nurseries - not the hardware stores, but
the REAL nurseries and garden shops. Many of those now have 3 and 5
gallon potted roses in stock. (If you like bargain hunting, the
clearance sales will probably start around late June.)


On Fri, 23 May 2003 11:33:24 -0400, "Ol' Thornfinger"
wrote:

"Shiva" wrote in message
news:aHlwYXRpYQ==.08006e33623dc783da4c743a6d1e760 ...
Roger wrote:

I guess by nature, I am a complainer, so here goes.

If so, you certainly set yourself up for enjoying your hobby by buying
your roses at the worst possible place. People who buy roses at the box
stores deserve what they get. You get what you pay for. Bagged bare
root "Tyler Texas" roses were on sale at Home Depot, Lowes, and KMart for
$3.99 to $7.99 in my area. Why? Because at least 50% of their roots have
been cut off and they are not generally grade 1 roses.

Order your bare root roses online from reputable distributors like S&W
Greenhouse or reputable nurseries like Edmund's, Ashdown, or Jackson and
Perkins. Or, from decent local garden centers and nurseries. You will pay
$13 to $20 but you will receive big healthy bare roots, and if not they
will usually replace them.


I would reccommend Chamblee's.
http://www.chambleeroses.com
Good prices and great roses.
Austin's are 9.95 the rest are 7.95.
They are also in Texas...!
Just got a Cherokee and a Belinda's Dream
from them a couple weeks ago...