I have a new but smallish rose bed. I bought Aldi bare root HT last year as an experiment to compare cheap and cheerful with a DA shrub rose. Can't fault Aldi at Less than £2 though limited choice but well known roses. I have an Aldi Iceberg climber that didn't know when to stop flowering this past summer. my biggest investment is a full standard from Harkness which was planted bare root in late November but is already showing new growth.
People can be very loyal to both Austins and Beales, and whilst we should be thankful for having them with their huge inventories of roses, neither company offers the best value when ordering, [nor the best customer service in my experience], and what I do now is when I know the rose I want, I check to see if it is offered elsewhere before I order. This goes for bare root and container grown roses.
We should also remember that being in the E.U. we can order freely from the Continent without any restrictions on plant material being imported. You will find that many Austin roses can be obtained far cheaper, and just as good quality [if not better], from Europe.
As an example, 10 bare root roses ordered direct from David Austin here at £16.50 per rose = £165.00 plus approx £6.00 delivery = £171.00.
If you order from the Dutch supplier Tuincentrum Lottum, you have a good choice of Austin roses at max. 6.50 Euros each [£5.00], so 10 x 5.00 = £50.00 add on £10.50 for delivery charge, plus a likely £10 bank transfer fee for payment, and it still only comes to £70.50.
A saving of £100 on 10 roses. It pays to shop around.
Very interesting Marlorena, I've bought from both Austin and Beales and only once from Germany but that was through a friend. I'd not thought of looking elsewhere for Roses and will check out the Dutch supplier you've named. Thanks.
If you authentic disease resistant ones they are well worth it. The ones I purchased last year needed next to no treatment against my other cheaper ones. Will always buy D.A in future
I must be thinking of another one then Aster, can't remember the name now, it's a lovely shade of orange and a climber - will have to go back to the catalogue.
Could someone please give me some tips on how to look after roses? I have a few DA's and others including patio's but I never get many flowers on any of them, (some none at all) I love them but can't seem to grow them despite my efforts, yet people that just 'let them get on with it' get better results than me. I have chalky soil is that a bad thing?
PS. I noticed the recent thread about 'unions' and mine are above the soil. Is this a problem? Sorry for so many questions.
Roses are hungry and thirsty and chalky soil is usually poor and dry. I have limestone, roses need a lot of feeding and watering, but I grow them in big pots too. I had acid clay when I lived in Kent and they did very well with less care.
Dordogne and Norfolk. Clay in Dordogne, sandy in Norfolk.
I have had several DA roses and yes you do pay a premium for this but you are paying for roses with an established genetic heritage which goes back a long time to strong performing plants.
That said, its how you look after them and manage them as to how they perform. Most plants need 2-3 years to bed down in the environment that you have put them in. If all the conditions are right, that's everything from soil and roots through to air temperature (as this affects scent) then there should not be any problems.
Personally, I don't like to buy bare root plants as I like to see the plant that I am buying and to be able to make that choice is paramount.
I planted new DA roses which were Munsted Wood, Lady Emma Hamilton, Jude the Obscure and Darcy Bussell last year, they did fine but I am not expecting them to come into there best till this summer at the earliest. Soil prep and correct pruning has to happen till then.
Posts
I have a new but smallish rose bed. I bought Aldi bare root HT last year as an experiment to compare cheap and cheerful with a DA shrub rose. Can't fault Aldi at Less than £2 though limited choice but well known roses. I have an Aldi Iceberg climber that didn't know when to stop flowering this past summer. my biggest investment is a full standard from Harkness which was planted bare root in late November but is already showing new growth.
People can be very loyal to both Austins and Beales, and whilst we should be thankful for having them with their huge inventories of roses, neither company offers the best value when ordering, [nor the best customer service in my experience], and what I do now is when I know the rose I want, I check to see if it is offered elsewhere before I order. This goes for bare root and container grown roses.
We should also remember that being in the E.U. we can order freely from the Continent without any restrictions on plant material being imported. You will find that many Austin roses can be obtained far cheaper, and just as good quality [if not better], from Europe.
As an example, 10 bare root roses ordered direct from David Austin here at £16.50 per rose = £165.00 plus approx £6.00 delivery = £171.00.
If you order from the Dutch supplier Tuincentrum Lottum, you have a good choice of Austin roses at max. 6.50 Euros each [£5.00], so 10 x 5.00 = £50.00 add on £10.50 for delivery charge, plus a likely £10 bank transfer fee for payment, and it still only comes to £70.50.
A saving of £100 on 10 roses. It pays to shop around.
Very interesting Marlorena, I've bought from both Austin and Beales and only once from Germany but that was through a friend. I'd not thought of looking elsewhere for Roses and will check out the Dutch supplier you've named. Thanks.
Do you feed it?
If you authentic disease resistant ones they are well worth it. The ones I purchased last year needed next to no treatment against my other cheaper ones. Will always buy D.A in future
I must be thinking of another one then Aster, can't remember the name now, it's a lovely shade of orange and a climber - will have to go back to the catalogue.
Could someone please give me some tips on how to look after roses? I have a few DA's and others including patio's but I never get many flowers on any of them, (some none at all)
I love them but can't seem to grow them despite my efforts, yet people that just 'let them get on with it' get better results than me. I have chalky soil is that a bad thing?
PS. I noticed the recent thread about 'unions' and mine are above the soil. Is this a problem? Sorry for so many questions.
Roses are hungry and thirsty and chalky soil is usually poor and dry. I have limestone, roses need a lot of feeding and watering, but I grow them in big pots too. I had acid clay when I lived in Kent and they did very well with less care.
I have had several DA roses and yes you do pay a premium for this but you are paying for roses with an established genetic heritage which goes back a long time to strong performing plants.
That said, its how you look after them and manage them as to how they perform. Most plants need 2-3 years to bed down in the environment that you have put them in. If all the conditions are right, that's everything from soil and roots through to air temperature (as this affects scent) then there should not be any problems.
Personally, I don't like to buy bare root plants as I like to see the plant that I am buying and to be able to make that choice is paramount.
I planted new DA roses which were Munsted Wood, Lady Emma Hamilton, Jude the Obscure and Darcy Bussell last year, they did fine but I am not expecting them to come into there best till this summer at the earliest. Soil prep and correct pruning has to happen till then.