The scoop on 'David Austin Roses (US)'

Company Comment, posted on March 9, 2006:   David Austin has created an entirely new breed of rose called The English Roses. These combine the beautiful forms and fragrances of the old roses with the wider color range and repeat-flowering of modern roses. Over 250,000 new seedlings are grown and assessed each year at his nursery in Albrighton, UK. After at least eight years of field trials, only the very best four to six varieties will be released for sale each year. David Austin’s free ‘Handbook of Roses’ is illustrated with photographs of roses, rose gardens and flower arrangements. It contains the best English Roses for the American climate, together with old roses, climbers, ramblers and modern roses. All roses sold in the US are grown in the US. Roses are supplied as bare roots, grafted onto Dr Huey rootstocks, together with cultivation instructions. Books, gift vouchers and stationary are also available. We are proud that David Austin Roses is a family-run business. Please contact us if you would like individual advice on rose selection, for help placing an order or for assistance designing a rose garden.

Feedback History and Summary   55 positives 5 neutrals 5 negatives

Comments:

Rating Author Content Neutral PeonyandRose (2 reviews) On June 15, 2008, PeonyandRose Preston, CT wrote: I ordered 12 roses from this company this spring. All the roses I picked were available when I placed my order, at least that's how the website showed. I waited two weeks and didn't receive any notification of shipment, then I e-mailed them several times but never received any response. 3 roses arrived a month after the order was placed. They were in great condition and they looked healthy and definitely much better than the roses I had ordered from Jackson & Perkins two years ago. However, I was very disappointed in DA's customer service. If the roses I ordered were out of stock, they should let me know about it. I was planning to plant a beautiful rose border, but now the plan has to be postponed. They already charged my credit card for the full amount, but I have no idea when my other roses will arrive. Probably next spring? Positive MorsisX (20 reviews) On June 10, 2008, MorsisX Lockport, IL (Zone 5b) wrote: Simply put, Superb! The climbers I ordered are far and away the most vigorous I have ever seen. Your customer service was exemplary in assisting me. The planting guide has proven invaluable. I will absolutely return for more of your signature English Roses! Positive kylie79 (2 reviews) On May 28, 2008, kylie79 Quitman, AR wrote: I ordered over 30 roses from this company this year. Every single one of them is beautiful. Taking care of roses is very hard work but it is worth it when those buds open up! They smell soooo good. The customer service is outstanding and all of my bareroot roses arrived in excellent condition. I will continue to do business with David Austin Roses. Positive mrs_colla (22 reviews) On May 20, 2008, mrs_colla Marin, CA (Zone 9b) wrote: The plants are robust and look healthy. Therefor, a positive rating. But... It took them a week to get here; shipped on Wednesday, arrived the following Tuesday. That I have never heard of before. No other company lets plants sit in a box that long. They are dormant, so it shouldn't have hurt them. ( Or so I hope...) Some roots are broken and the canes were sticking out of the plastic, out of the box. There was nothing but the plants in the box, no material to prevent the roses from shifting during transport. I was horrified to see the box get to me in such a way. Christie I have been happier with other companies so far, but will comment on the progress of the roses and see how they hold up. Because I ordered the plants in May, late in the season according to their terms, I had to accept them without the one year warranty. My choice. I plan on pampering them because the catalog has such outstanding pictures. On May 21st, 2008, mrs_colla added the following: Sorry about the typo, my name was suppsed to be on the bottom, not in the middle of the text. CC On May 30th, 2008, mrs_colla added the following: All four of them are coming out of dormance with abundance. Positive RosaBelle (1 review) On April 28, 2008, RosaBelle Huntsville, AL wrote: Very helpful, polite, and knowledgeable customer service department. The roses were shipped as expected and were huge. Although three are slow to come out of dormancy, they asked that I keep them posted to as to have them replaced if necessary. You can't ask for a better company to do businesss with. Positive Elizabethanchild (1 review) On April 23, 2008, Elizabethanchild Bel Air, MD wrote: I was so impressed back in 1991 or 92 with Austin roses, I went into business of selling these roses and only them. I had at that time had searched hard to find a local wholesale supplier. I live in Maryland. I ended up buying over 400 from Hortico in Canada. Myself and cousin took on alone getting the rose root stock planted in pots. We took some of those to a well known very old seed supplier and small nursery. They were so impressed they bought from us right away. The Ladew gardens, a well known topiary and mansion, the president saw the roses at the seed company and took my phone number to contact us. She also had a beautiful English style prominent residence and almost a half acre of nothing but roses. She planted the Austin roses closest to her home in her starter garden. She asked what I used for fertilizer. Horse manure. We owned 6 Belgian draft horses plenty of manure of course. Manure tea works great. Heritage, Abraham Darby, as numerous species as we could get along with these. I am not in business now but, remain dedicated to only buying Austin roses. The introduction to the area I was living in made such an impression on buyers there along with a wider area across Maryland. The aroma and hardiness can not be surpassed in my view. Positive Karen4Roses (2 reviews) On April 3, 2008, Karen4Roses Traverse City, MI wrote: I have ordered from David Austin Roses for a number of years now, and have been consistently delighted with their plants and their customer service. Our rose society placed a large group order a few years ago and our members were also pleased. The roses came with good cane and root size and were packed carefully. I've only had one rose not thrive after planting it, and was immediately credited for another after I contacted their customer service. Because David Austin roses are hardy here in Northern Michigan and have such a beautiful form and fragrance, I'm pleased to have a reliable source with such positive customer service. Positive ncdirtdigger (4 reviews) On March 11, 2008, ncdirtdigger Waxhaw, NC wrote: I ordered 5 different varieties, all arrived with moist bare roots and were in good condition. They all appeared to be healthy and of good size. Shipping was timed in accordance with the normal time for planting bareroots in my area. Provided the plants hold up to our heat and humidity I may try more. Neutral mudpiegirl (11 reviews) On January 6, 2008, mudpiegirl Los Lunas, NM wrote: I have ordered 3 times from this company for a total of 12 rose plants. All of the roses arrived in fantastic shape. If there was a substitution, then it was one I specified as acceptable. I have had 1 rose that didn't make it, but I believe it was due to animal damage, so I didn't file a claim. All of the rest far exceeded my expectations for growth in the first year. My mother has ordered from them over the phone and says that she prefers this because the people are so nice. I will never buy any other kind of rose, and I will never order roses anywhere else! On April 1st, 2008, mudpiegirl changed the rating from positive to neutral and added the following: As of spring 2008, I am afraid that I am having to downgrade my rating to neutral, due to negative experiences with the company that I an my mother (who lives on my property) have had. I ordered 2 roses this year, and they arrived in poor condition. They appeared less vigorous than other roses I have received to being with, but more disturbing was that about 1/2 of the root system was broken off of one, and 1/3 of the roots off of the other, due to poor packing. The box they arrived in was in perfect shape, but there was nothing at all in the box to cushion the poor roses during transit. When I called the company to complain, I was surprised at how unpleasant the customer service rep was--I had never had a bad experience with them before. She told me that there were no more of the rose I had ordered available, so I could either put them in the ground and hope for the best or take a replacement rose of a different variety. I felt she had no interest in my satisfaction as a customer, which especially irked me after all of the roses I have bought from them and all the roses I have encouraged other to buy from them. In my mother\'s case, her roses arrived 2 weeks earlier than she had been told to expect them, so she was unprepared. On top of that, they sent her a bright fuchsia by mistake instead of the white one she ordered. Although the other 4 roses she ordered seemed in good health, and they at least did not require her to send the unwanted rose back. I really hope that this is a momentary lapse in their high standards, and that is why I am marking it neutral rather than negative. The roses I bought in the past are still doing extremely well, and I really do hope the company refocuses on the service side. Company representative comment on April 2, 2008: On Apr 2, 2008 10:54 AM, David Austin Roses (US) added: I agree that this appears to be shoddy service and I do apologize. This is not the high level of customer care we have always aspired to. We have a couple of new trainees and it appears I haven't gotten across our standards to one of them for some reason and I will certainly work on that. We will also pass along the broken root info to the warehouse manager. Something like this should not have gone out as a grade one rose. If you will contact me personally at 800 328 8893 I will be most happy to make this right for you and for your Mother as well. We would not like to leave this situation hanging as an unappetizing experience for you both. Alternatively, you may email me at [e-mail:us@davidaustinroses.com]. Again, our apologies for the poor service. Best Regards, Jo VonBargen General Manager David Austin roses Positive countryrosegirl (3 reviews) On September 13, 2007, countryrosegirl Powersville, MO wrote: I ordered 4 roses for spring 2007. They came packed e in a nice looking box. They are very healthy. One of the roses I ordered Lady Emma Hamilton was out of stock at the last moment before shipping so they sent me Pat instead. I really like Pat so it was a good substitute. I put my order in really early for spring 2008 so I really hope they will have enough in stock for my order. I am very much in love with most of the DA roses and look forward to my 2008 spring order. Positive jkoe47 (1 review) On June 6, 2007, jkoe47 East Haven, CT (Zone 6b) wrote: I purchased 2 rose bushes from Dave Austin Roses that were delivered today. Since I had read the reviews for this company, I knew they would be arriving in a plastic bag sans packing material. I work for a web-based company and make a large number of purchases on line, but was always leery about purchasing plants. Dave Austin replied within the hour, ackowledging my purchase. Shipping was timely and I was furnished with a tracking number and a link to UPS so I could watch my little guys as they moved across the country. The arrived at my door well packaged in a very sturdy box, are a good size and in great condition. I am a VERY satisfied customer. Positive kerrydrury (2 reviews) On June 1, 2007, kerrydrury Portland, OR (Zone 8b) wrote: My two DA's bareroot roses were excellent specimens, with large canes and extensive root systems--and arrived moist and ready to go. Positive bluethroat (1 review) On May 28, 2007, bluethroat Quincy, MA wrote: I am just a beginner with roses, and usually consider all the thorns to be a real bother. I prefer to grow Tree peonies and daylilies, along with magolia as my favorite trees. But my wonderful neighbor recently bought a Heritage DA rose bareroot for me as a present. She loves roses, and thought I should try one. After i planted the bareroot, I did some research and discovered how beautiful the DA roses are. I then went on the phone and ordered three Gertrude J. at half price from the recent sale. They came in a well protected box right on time, and I gave one each to my wonderful neighbor as a return present, and one to my mom, and kept one for myself. Hopefully they will grow and prosper, but I must say, the company is first rate from service to prompt delivery. It's a real winner in my book. Positive WingsofCrystal (2 reviews) On April 16, 2007, WingsofCrystal Blaine, WA (Zone 8a) wrote: I purchased David Austin Roses in 2001. They flourished. I fell in love with David Austin Roses. I just recieved my three Shropshire Lads today and as before David Austin Roses were lovely. They are the only roses I will buy. Crystal Berger Birch Bay, WA Positive macpams (4 reviews) On April 15, 2007, macpams Bethlehem, CT wrote: I was completely satisfied with this Company's service, shipping method, and, most importantly, plant quality. Planting bare-root roses, usually when the weather is cool, is frankly a chore. The plants exceeded my expectations for #1 grade. I just filled out their "Customer Survey" and thanked them for providing a venue for outreach and feed-back. The Company offers toll-free phone contact for advice. They emailed me a week before delivery with the exact date so that I was expecting the roses. Both their catalog and web site are beautifully designed and informative. I am very partial to these generally fragrant and graceful, rather than stiff, Austin varieties. They also seem to be over-wintering well in my zone 5 region. Positive mifflett (7 reviews) On April 5, 2007, mifflett Belfair, WA wrote: I have ordered a number of roses from David Austin over the past few years. They have always shipped large healthy plants which do wonderfully in my garden. Last year one of the roses I ordered was mismarked and turned out to be the wrong cultivar. Of course I didn't find this out until it bloomed the wrong color and shape, but when I contacted the company in June 2006 they were very helpful and promised to ship me the correct rose during the 2007 shipping season as all of their plants are bare root and it was too late in the 2006 season to ship safely. The replacement has arrived, been planted and looks great. I am always impressed at the size and quality of their plants, and their customer service gets top marks. Negative kimsuki (2 reviews) On September 5, 2006, kimsuki Ferndale, WA wrote: I have grown HUNDREDS of roses over the years (including some DA roses) and even now have over 30 in my 1/3 acre yard. My friend and I ordered 12 DA roses. We asked them to ship earlier than their normal time (May) because here in the Pacific NW that is late to plant roses. They arrived in May (late May? June?) and we planted. Four of our roses did not make it. We asked for replacement and they did not respond, finally I called in late winter and they said they would send replacement next spring. Never arrived. I had to call again and they said they were out, they would send replacement NEXT spring. So we will have to wait another year. Outside of service, the roses themselves are smaller than I would have thought, very prone to black spot & mildew, smaller flowers and very floppy. Will NOT order more English roses. Company representative comment on September 6, 2006: On Sep 6, 2006 11:05 AM, David Austin Roses (US) added: Dear Kimsuki, We’re sorry to hear that you have had a bad experience with David Austin roses, but are puzzled by the dates and details you provide. David Austin Roses normally ships in late March or early April to your area, with the exact dates depending on the season’s weather conditions. Shipment outside the delivery window for the area would only be agreed at the customer’s own request, which would normally only occur if a customer placed an order very late. Where a customer specifically requests a late delivery, shipment can only be made at the customer’s own risk, although we do offer advice on the special care which will be required to help their roses establish in their garden during hot spells. All roses bought direct from us through our mail order services and despatched during the recommended delivery windows are covered by our twelve month guarantee. If you have bought our roses from another source, which does seem to be a possibility given your timing information, you would need to check the terms of their guarantee. We take great pride in our responsiveness to customer enquiries or requests for information. I have personally looked back through all orders raised for your area since 2002 and have not so far been able to locate your order. If you can contact me toll free on 800 328 8893 with your name and address (and ideally the order number if you still have it) I can respond to you in more detail. This will also enable us to remove your details from our mailing list. Best Regards, Jo VonBargen General Manager Positive Pitimpinai (18 reviews) On April 28, 2006, Pitimpinai Chicago, IL wrote: Beautiful roses, all in wonderful condition, all grew and bloomed. Not a blackspot in sight. Knock on wood. Wish I had room for more. Positive mijo (3 reviews) On April 15, 2006, mijo Gilroy, CA wrote: Absolutely first rate! I love David Austin Roses! I have ordered many, many roses from this company and all have just done fabulously! I live in CA (I suspect despite the lack of humidity, the climate here is perhaps similiar to that in Texas) as does most of my family, and we have all planted bareroots from David Austin with great success. Amongst all my others, I have a Glamis Castle that is the envy of the neighborhood! And my mother grows a St. Swithun that is the most beautiful bush I have ever seen! It blooms without abandon throughout spring, summer and fall here- and the blooms look like lovely, pinky, tissuey-paper things! I find myself ordering from David Austin year after year- and eagerly await the arrival of the catalog- as well as the announcement of the new roses for each year. They also have great deals if you order in quantity- check the website and especially their catalog for the particulars. Positive 75751 (39 reviews) On April 15, 2006, 75751 Fort Mill, SC (Zone 7b) wrote: Very pleased with the three roses that I purchased. Healthy roses, great packaging, and my order was processed quickly. C&NN Positive tpescdoc (5 reviews) On April 7, 2006, tpescdoc East Hampton, CT (Zone 6a) wrote: I received 3 roses this week in beautiful condition. They are soaking right now and the leaf buds are starting to unfurl. They all have long, healthy roots and several thick branches. They even arrived in a beautiful box with black toile roses printed on it. First class operation. Positive maks (1 review) On March 24, 2006, maks Lancaster, CA wrote: I have grown DA roses a number of years. Until last year, I ordered from another company. Last year I ordered 14 from DA's Tyler, Texas. This year I ordered 9. I was thrilled with the roses I got last year, much bigger and healthier than the ones I ordered in prior years. They leafed out only a few days after planting. I recieved excellent CS both this year and last. My problem is, living in the desert, I need my roses as early as possible and I always order late! My roses have come very quickly and in great shape both years. This year's 9 (actually 10. They sent me a free one), are soaking. They look great and I am looking forward to seeing them in bloom. By the way, I think DA roses are beautiful, though very different from each other. There is something for every taste. I have about 30 in my yard and love every one. I am looking forward to some of the new "style" such as Windflower, Buttercup and Scarborough Fair. I love David Austin's new book, The English Roses, which just came out. Beautiful!! Positive BeeVee (10 reviews) On February 27, 2006, BeeVee Tampa, FL wrote: I ordered four roses from their specials' collection and I have to report that they are doing fine. They arrived with a minimum of 4 canes each. Very healthy and broke dormancy within a day of being soaked. Beautiful selection of DA's on the website, easy to order, and good customer service. The only thing they don't provide is a bib with all the drooling you will do looking at all those pics. I am hoping they email coupons and specials for their repeat customers. I am really looking forward to next year's selections. Oh wait, I am not going to be able to wait a year for my next order. Marta Acaba Tampa, Florida On April 6th, 2006, BeeVee added the following: FOLLOWUP: I submitted another order from David Austin and I was AGAIN so thrilled! Eden\'s branches looked more like trunks! What a healthy beauty..I am going to probably submit another order before it gets any hotter here in Tampa. P.S. This time I got my drool bib ready!!! Marta Acaba-Beer Tampa Florida Positive kimberf (11 reviews) On February 19, 2006, kimberf Palo Alto, CA wrote: Excellent, excellent customer service! My previous opinion was pretty lukewarm, but they've been so fantastic since then that they've more than made up for it. I ordered 6 bareroots last year. They arrived very late (2-3 months after they were supposed to arrive to me in zone 9b). They were disappointingly small, with a few that are still much smaller than most bareroots I've gotten this year, so I suspected my order had been forgotten and I got the runty leftovers. I got one rose from DA this year at the proper time for my zone and it was much larger. I sent them an e-mail with photos stating that this year's rose made me convinced I had indeed been forgotten last year. They offered to replace the whole order. They were very accommodating about the shipping date, since I was traveling, and I've got my much bigger replacements soaking now waiting to be planted. If you have any problems, contact them -- they will make it right. Positive DanaDW (7 reviews) On February 17, 2006, DanaDW Pahrump, NV (Zone 8a) wrote: Just received 5 roses, my first order from this company so jury is still out. I wouldn't comment at all at this point except for one thing, I am amazed at the terrible packaging. There was not one speck of straw, paper, or any other type of mulch. The roses were simply slung in a plastic bag sans any packaging so I have them soaking in water now....hopefully they'll survive. To be honest this is the first time I've ever bought roses that were NOT own root so we'll see how it goes but unless it's a rose I simply can't find elsewhere I doubt I'll order from them again. On February 22nd, 2006, DanaDW changed the rating from neutral to positive and added the following: They seem to be doing fine so all\'s well that ends well Company representative comment on February 20, 2006: On Feb 20, 2006 2:16 PM, David Austin Roses (US) added: Dear Dana, Our shipping supervisor has asked me to comment that our roses are carefully packaged in a premium quality outer box. Before shipping, we dip each rose in a water-based solution which contains a special ingredient to assist water retention. Roses are packed in a large poly bag, which is wrapped around the roots. We stock a variety of box sizes to ensure a good fit and the size of our roots (which are in general much larger than the average own-root rose) and also helps to conserve moisture. We designed our packaging with help from customers and monitor customer satisfaction rates closely. We've reviewed our packaging following your post and also have reviewed our customers' overall satisfaction rate, which remains very high. We are confident that our roses should go on to perform well, assuming our planting and care instructions are followed. We back these claims with our standard quality guarantee. You do not mention whether any of our roses appeared dehydrated or whether the packaging was damaged in any way. If you have any immediate concerns, please contact me to arrange replacements or a refund toll free on 800 328 8893. If your roses appear physically OK, we are confident they will thrive in your garden. You remain protected by our twelve month guarantee of quality. Please let us know how you get on. With very best wishes, Jo VonBargen Negative WigglyPaw (9 reviews) On January 15, 2006, WigglyPaw Hastings, MI (Zone 6a) wrote: I ordered Eglyntyne as an own root grown, and received a grafted model. ugh. I did call and inquire and received nothing but a curt attitude and a fare-thee-well. Sorry Charlie and all that. What recourse do I have if they deny that anything is wrong? Sheri Company representative comment on January 26, 2006: On Jan 16, 2006 8:49 AM, David Austin Roses (US) added: Dear Sheri, I apologize profusely if staff responded to your complaint in the manner you describe, though I'm hard put to imagine which of them would do this as it is certainly not in line with our high customer service standards. Did you get a name? Of course something is wrong if you didn't receive what you ordered and weren't even offered an explanation or refund. We no longer offer own-root varieties as that supplier dropped us for not ordering a high enough quantity and we have not found another supplier to date. If you will phone or email me with your order number or address, I'll be happy to refund the money you paid. Again, my apologies for the service (or lack of it) you received. Best Regards, Jo VonBargen 800 328 8893 [e-mail:us@davidaustinroses.com] On Jan 26, 2006 10:17 AM, David Austin Roses (US) added: Dear Sheri, We first replied on 17th January but as I have not heard from you, I am writing again to clarify and hopefully to encourage you to contact me directly. We are really sorry that we didn’t make clear to you that we are no longer able to offer own-root roses. All our roses are grafted onto Dr Huey, which is one of the most popular rose rootstocks used in the US. We have added this information on to our home page, it is also in our latest catalogue and our customer service team will take care to advise anyone who tries to order own-root roses in future. We have had so little demand for own-root roses that it is no longer economic to offer them, but we should have informed you of this before proceeding with shipment. If you’re struggling to find an own root supplier you might like to contact [HYPERLINK@www.heirloomroses.com] who may be able to help you. I am very sorry for your poor experience and David Austin Roses will give you an immediate refund. Please contact me directly toll free on 800 328 8893 so I can apologise personally and arrange to send the refund to you. Alternately if you post your customer number on this website, this will allow us to trace you. I can see from your garden diary that you are planning to create a rose garden over the next few years and hope you can find a corner somewhere in your garden for the grafted Eglantyne, which you can of course keep with our compliments. Hopefully it will flourish and fill a little corner while the garden is still under development. We hope in time you’ll become so attached to it, you won’t be able to dig it up! With Very Best Wishes, Jo VonBargen Manager, US Office [e-mail:us@davidaustinroses.com] Positive boomer (3 reviews) On October 18, 2005, boomer Indianapolis, IN wrote: zepherine drouchin a lovely rose and wonderful climber and no thorns a rose which was told to me by a Mastr aGardener in new hamshire and i bought me some 2 did not return after winter and i called tyler and they were replaced with a smile i am considering on getting at least 4 for my 4-H bed i chair out at the extension grounds. this is one tough but beautiful orse On May 31st, 2008, boomer added the following: the zeph's i had oringally wrote about that i planted at the house OMG!! Breath Taking Awesome totally loaded with blooms! just a sugar sweet sight to behold i tell you.. fabulous!!!!!!!! 1 year not much bloomage 2 year more bloomage 3 year went totally nuts and this is a indiana climate On May 31st, 2008, boomer added the following: the zeph\'s i had oringally wrote about that i planted at the house OMG!! Breath Taking Awesome totally loaded with blooms! just a sugar sweet sight to behold i tell you.. fabulous!!!!!!!! 1 year not much bloomage 2 year more bloomage 3 year went totally nuts and this is a indiana climate Positive ewiggvine (1 review) On June 23, 2005, ewiggvine Grapevine, TX wrote: My roses arrived in excellent condition. Most are doing well and blooming in their first year. Two haven't even produced even a leaf but the stalks are still green. I spoke to cust svc regarding one of the plants and they stated that they'd save a replacement for me if it continues to fail. Neutral Cricket63 (1 review) On June 10, 2005, Cricket63 Cottontown, TN wrote: After pouring over my David Austin catalog for several months, in April, I finally decided to purchase 3 Tradescant roses, to plant by my deck. The roses arrived in fairly good condition, although the box was a little damaged -- the carrier's fault, obviously -- and a few of the roots on one plant were broken as a result. The plants looked to be in fairly good shape. Due to heavy rains in Tennessee in April, it took me two or three days after their arrival to get them into the ground. They started leafing out and looked very good, initially, but then I noticed some black growth on the canes of each of the three plants. After getting on rose forums on gardenweb.com, I determined that the roses had cankar and set about cutting off the diseased parts of the canes and applying Daconil and then sealing the cuts with Elmer's glue (suggested by many of the rose forum members). It seemed to take care of most of the problem, however, there are still black spots down low next to the crowns on all of the plants. There is still one strong cane on each of the plants and I have beautiful growth on them and the first flush is coming on strong. The buds are pretty and they're opening up well. Although, the color is not as crimson as it looks in the catalog, it's more of a light red...I don't know if it's really Tradescant or not? They plants are in full sun until about 2:00pm every afternoon and then they're in shade, so I don't know if the blooms fade in direct sunlight or not. The catalog said that this cultivar does not readily burn in the sun...we'll see if they get deeper crimson as it ages. The first flowers are beautiful and the fragrance is lovely. I shall have to wait and see if the cankar continues to grow now that the daytime temps are consistently above 80 degrees here in Nashville. I did email DA customer service and got a response back in a day or two, but they didn't mention anything about cankar. They just suggested that I deep water more often (every 4 days) in hot weather. All in all, I am fairly satisfied with the roses, but am concerned for their long-term success. Even so, I am determined that I will purchase more DA roses for next year. This is a great site and I appreciate the feedback from everyone. Thanks! Sheri Positive duckieduck (1 review) On May 26, 2005, duckieduck Highland, NY wrote: I purchased 5 roses this year. All arrived in great condition and are now thriving in the garden despite the cold spring we are having here in New York. I also have 6 from last year that are doing well after a severely cold winter. 3 of the Mayflower and 2 William Shakespeare were infected pretty bad last summer with blackspot and took a severe end of season pruning,were frozen all winter and then I had to hack them back severely this spring - really thought these plants were not going to make it - they are (SURPRISE) doing great and I hope they are healthier this year. Heritage is doing fabulous! Also have Evelyn which I bought as a mystery rose at my nursery(they had lost the tag) which froze almost to the ground - rebounded great. All of the new plants look great so far. Trying 2 of the 2005 - Love DA roses- cant beat them for fragrance and that old rose look.Only negative - did not find customer service( or whomever takes the orders) very friendly at all!!! But the way I see it the product is what matters most!!! Thanks for a great product. Positive Gindee77 (16 reviews) On May 14, 2005, Gindee77 Hampton, IL (Zone 5a) wrote: Every rose I've gotten from David Austin has been healthy, correctly labeled and has done great in my garden. I recommend this company if you are looking for DA roses. They have a good website and some great sales, too. Neutral sugarlump (10 reviews) On April 29, 2005, sugarlump Louisville, KY wrote: I ordered 2 roses this spring. When they arrived, they looked to be dehydrated. After a few weeks, one was leafing out heartily and the other was just as it was when it arrived, and I was certain it was dead/dying. I emailed the company and they promptly send me a replacment without question. Now, the rose I thought dead has begun to leaf and is catching up to the other. I simply was not patient enough, but because I wasnt completely happy, they sent me another. Very pleased with the customer service, and the roses Ive received are all healthy and showing the promise of buds. Excellent vendor. On May 5th, 2006, sugarlump changed the rating from positive to neutral and added the following: I have ordered two additional roses this spring, and both arrived in good condition. The complaint I have about this company has to do with lack of communication. I received the roses about 2 weeks after I ordered them. A couple of days after I ordered, I emailed them to get an idea of a ship date; these are bareroots and it is late in the season, I want to know what day they will be here to intercept them. No response. Another couple of days, I email them again. No response. So I call. The lady I spoke with, while very pleasant, seems to have no clue when they will ship, other than it will be soon. Even if there is not a set ship date, its only courteous to reply to an email. The only reason I will order in future is if I cannot get the rose elsewhere. Other vendors offer excellent plants, let me know when I can expect to receive them, and actually communicate with their customers. Company representative comment on May 9, 2006: On May 9, 2006 1:06 PM, David Austin Roses (US) added: We do apologize profusely for the email slipups! Due to a server problem we lost several days worth of emails and also lost phone messages when the system got zapped by a lightning storm. As recovery was impossible on these, we can only wait til someone contacts us again. We have also been experiencing a very high volume of calls the past couple of weeks and people are finding it hard to get through. We do appreciate your patience and are working to remedy the staffing issue for next season, so this will not recur. Once again, we appreciate all our customers and thank you very much for your business. Best Regards, Jo VonBargen General Manager [e-mail:us@davidaustinroses.com] Positive dadaniels (1 review) On April 25, 2005, dadaniels Sanford, FL wrote: 2/05 I ordered several roses from David Austin. After I placed the order I lost my credit card and when I was called by customer service to verify the card number I explained what happened. The woman I spoke with was so helpful and understanding she went above and beyond to help me. I appreciate good customer service and a good product. I am very happy with my roses 2 of the bushes have taken off and the other 2 are struggling but whether they live or die I will always be a loyal customer and supporter of David Austin Roses. Positive mscupin (1 review) On April 6, 2005, mscupin Gainesville, GA wrote: I ordered several roses from David Austin in Texas. One that I ordered was Hansa and I was sent a Handel instead. I called the company and they were exceptional in the way they handle my complaint. They apologized and sent me the correct replacement rose and told me to plant or give the rose to a friend. I would highly recommend this company. Positive MomSear (2 reviews) On March 20, 2005, MomSear Lowell, MI wrote: My husband ordered a Mary Rose for my Valentine's present 2 years ago. Unfortunately, it arrived in late March, far too early to plant in West Michigan. I called the Texas HQ, had a lovely conversation with CS, and was told to go ahead & save the rose in a cool storage place if I had one (I did, a second fridge), keep it slightly moist, and if it survived, I would have an extra as they sent a new one out in May. As good fortune would have it, both roses are thriving in my garden, and this year for Valentine's Day, my husband ordered two new roses for my cottage garden. While I have other Austin roses from different sources, the ones from the main nursery are especially fine & hardy specimens. I will continue to order from them, since the experience with their CS was SO positive. I understand many companies can make errors, it is how they deal with the customer that sets DA apart from the less desirables & that make me a loyal customer. I may not make them wealthy, but I actively promote their business to other gardeners. On May 17th, 2005, MomSear added the following: The order for this year arrived in lovely shape. Both are new (2005) DA roses, had at least three canes and were well hydrated. They\'ve been in the ground three+ weeks, and no sign of real progress, but that may be as much the fault of our Michigan spring ( we had a frost last night) as anything else. I\'m hoping a warm spell will encourage them to grow. FYI the Mary Roses from DA are thriving, while my Abraham Darby (several years older and from a licensee) is just now leafing out. It may be the differences in the cultivars, but Mary seems to be incredibly hardy. Even Heritage has been slower to leaf out. My respect for Austin\'s roses is greater than ever. Our harsh winter killed off even some of my hardiest climbers (Iceberg) and froze Blaze to the ground level. However, all of my Austin\'s are alive, if behind last year\'s growth. Mother Nature is weeding out the fit in West Michigan this year. I\'ll be ordering more roses from DA this fall for certain. Positive scutler (24 reviews) On November 7, 2004, scutler Charleston, SC (Zone 8b) wrote: I have placed several orders with this company over the past few years. All orders have arrived in EXCELLENT condition. All roses had large, well developed, and healthy root systems; all have thrived in my garden (photos in database, more to come). Each year I look forward to receiving my new catalog. I will definitely order from David Austin Roses again and will recommend them with confidence! Positive Aggie (2 reviews) On October 17, 2004, Aggie Shawnee Mission, KS wrote: I have ordered David Austin roses from several other companies as well as purchased them from a local garden center. I currently have over 60 roses in my beds the majority are David Austins planted as bare roots. This spring I ordered 10 from David Austin in Tyler, Tx. These bareroot roses were in top shape, all produced blooms and are healthy. When I have emailed this company with questions their responses have been prompt and helpful, their order takers also were well-informed & polite. I will order from them again. Negative maga1 (2 reviews) On July 24, 2004, maga1 wrote: I was amazingly disappointed with the customer service this company offered. I eagerly ordered a number of rosebushes to arrive in Spring. I live in Massachusetts. Imagine my dismay when the roses all arrived in the middle of a snowstorm on March 16. The ground was still frozen. When I called the Tyler, Texas office to protest their early arrival, I was informed that it was the appropriate time for delivery for my area... and I could soak them, repackage them and then plant them in containers or heal them into the ground when it unfroze. I asked to speak to a customer service supervisor, was told none were available...I could ship the plants back at my expense but they couldn't guarantee that I would receive my choices at a later date AND I would have to pay shipping charges again. I wrote an e-mail the next day to the customer services department asking for contact. No one has ever replied. I nursed the roses for 3 1/2 weeks before I was able to plant them. Lovely product, very poor service. Company representative comment on November 19, 2004: Gosh, I can certainly understand how you feel if this is indeed the experience you had with our company this past season. To be honest, we did get caught by that snowstorm in March and many customers had to have replacement orders sent later on. I do apologize for the way your call was handled and will go over these points with my staff immediately. Unfortunately, I was out of the office quite often during that period as my elderly parents were both very ill. I did have some temporary help here and assume that you probably spoke with one who was not fully trained (my fault, not yours). As for the email, I always respond personally to email inquiries, so I'm wondering if it maybe didn't come through as we were also experiencing phone and data line problems during the same period. I wouldn't like to appear to be making excuses, but am merely trying to find an explanation for things that occured as this is not typical of the service we strive for here at David Austin's. I am very, very sorry for your negative experience and perception of our company and would certainly make it right for you if you will email me at [e-mail:jo.vonbargen@davidaustinroses.com] . We would definitely replace any failed plants at our own expense and there is no charge for the shipping on your part. This is our standard guarantee. Again, I apologize for the misinformation that apparently came from staff here. Best Regards, Jo VonBargen General Manager, US Office David Austin Roses Positive Shenanigans (2 reviews) On July 14, 2004, Shenanigans Summerville, SC wrote: My daughter wanted to know what I wanted for my birthday, which was April 9th. I told her a David Austin rose. Wayside told her it was too late to ship, so she contacted the Texas site. They sent me 4 roses, bareroot, very clean and very fast, only a couple of days later they came. By June lst all 4 were blooming, and they started leafing up within l0 days. We are very happy with them. Positive msanjelpie (53 reviews) On June 17, 2004, msanjelpie Meridian, ID wrote: Ordered 3 roses - lilian austin - blythe spirit - sophy's rose - received large bareroots right on schedule. All plants were potted in pots, and have leafed out and flowered beautifully. Would order from again... p.s. Lilian Austin is 'gorgeous!' DECOBUG

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