Comments regarding Antique Rose Emporium

This company takes great care in shipping roses, a cut above most mail-order nurseries. The cardboard box contains pull-out tabs that prevents movement and keeps the plastic container secure in the shipping box; moistened paper is placed along the top of the soil in the container, to reduce moisture loss; the newspaper is in turn secured with packing tape so the soil won't come loose during shipping. The entire rose is then placed in a plastic bag for protection within the box. The roses were healthy, and some were still flowering. The company offers a great variety of older roses, especially for the southern gardener.

I have only ordered one rose from ARE, Mme. Alfred Carriere, but it arrived in excellent condition; it's an own root rose. I planted it in Dec 2002 and it is currently taking over my 8' fence! The advice some books give to "let the rose go with no training the first year" was impossible with this rose, it was so vigorous. I emailed ARE for advice on training and pruning and they replied promptly and in detail. They not only supply excellent stock, but they are willing to provide followup advice; this means a lot to me. I would definitely order again.

I have purchased two roses from Antique Rose Emporium and am very pleased. Both roses were container grown and own root roses. They were large, with tremendous root structure and strong healthy growth. They have grown strongly when planted. The roses were carefully packed -- best I have come across -- and arrived in excellent condition. A terrific source for own root roses. Note, that they stop shipping at the end of the spring, so make sure to plan a head. A wonderful source for own root roses.

Bought 2 climbing Zephrine Drouhin last year. They arrived at the perfect time and were in fantastic condition. They grew like mad and bloomed a little even last summer. Despite the fact that they are in a less-than-ideal location, this year they are covered with buds and rapidly growing up my porch columns as hoped. I also appreciate the company's honesty. The photos are beautiful yet realistic, and while others claim this is a shade tolerant rose ARE specifically says otherwise.

Antique Rose Emporium is the birthplace, of many of my roses. Some people complain of them being high in price, I do not agree, as every rose from them, has been of the size to be able to take off, when planted.
My only complaint, is that you better be ready for the rose when it is ordered...as they tend to be shipped, so quickly!
That is not much of a complaint!
A good place to get roses...
Melvatoo

Aproximately two weeks ago I placed an order for 3 rose bushes that I was unable to find elsewhere with this company. They e-mailed me that they would arrive on May 7th. and by golly they did and in what appears to be excellent condition. So far I am very happy.

This has to be one of the more beautiful places on Earth. My wife and I live 120 miles away but we make sure and make a trip down here once or twice a year, always coming home with more than we planned but never enough. I never enjoyed roses until I found the carefree gems from Antique Rose Emporium.

The following is the transcript of an email I left for them this morning:
Yesterday I had to drive from Waco to Sealy for a funeral for a cousin who died at 44 leaving a wife and a high school freshman son. My wife and I had been in the store Friday but after laying out the plants we found that we were three plants short of our need. I had decided to leave a little early for the 4:00 funeral and stop by and pick up what we needed. As Mondays will go, early turned into barely enough time to make it to the funeral. I called the store and your ladies were kind enough to take my information, help me remember the varieties Mermaid and Petite Pink Scotch were easy - Dome de Couer (sic?) was a bit tougher. I found my roses just where we agreed - in a wagon by the trash can - when I came by at dusk.

You were the bright spot in an otherwise tough day.

April 16, 2003 I thought I saw the rose I wanted (Delphrine Droughn) at the local nursury last fall. When I went to buy it this spring, it wasn't there. It was already about April 1 which is when I have been planting roses in this area. So I had to go on-line and find the rose which Antique Rose Emporium had. The web site implied you should count on 3 weeks from the time of order to delivery. My rose was in the ground in about 8 days. It came potted, nice size, had been trimmed for shipping, and was well packaged. They have a sensible guarantee. The web site was easy to use. I have one bud in bloom and couldn't be happier.

I have bought many plants, not just roses from ARE. Both mail order and in Brenham. They have all grown wonderfully and been disease free. I would encourage everyone in Texas to go out to Brenham and visit the grounds as they are absolutely beautiful. Bring a camera and your kids, as there are so many wonderful things to see, and great ideas to take home with you. A lot of creative ideas! The staff is very helpful and courteous. This is a great way to spend a spring afternoon, and while you're in the area, check out the bluebonnets in the Brenham/Independence area in the Spring. You won't regret it!

ADVICE: Be sure to ask for your roses to be shipped in bud.

Excellent selection and informational website and catalog. Good service. Good prices for the pot size if not for the plants size. Some problems with some stock.

Try as I might, I just can't bring myself to give these folks a negative rating, even though it might be merited. ARE has done much unselfishly to promote heirloom and old garden roses and they are nice to deal with but I've received some very disappointing stock from them.

I've ordered twice from them, and to be fair only 3 varieties of roses were represented, Lady Banks roses and Zephrine Drouhin. These roses may not be representative of their huge selection. Anyway, the Zephrines were small and lacked vigor. One died quickly while in the nursery pot. A second languished for a year or so never thriving or blooming. The third is surviving, but has had only one bloom in 3 years. It is anything but vigorous, it's been 3 years that I've had it -- so it's probably a 5 year old plant -- and it looks like a a 2-year old plant. The lady Banks never even got to the flowering stage. They were small to begin with , not young so much as lacking vigor -- if you can imagine a wimpy Lady Banks. They succombed in their original nursery pots over the winter despite protection from the elements.

Despite this experience, I wouldn't wipe ARE off the books completely. They seem conscientous and I'd give them a second chance. I'd just make sure I'd ask for roses to be shipped in bud.

If you're mail-ordering roses, I'd suggest using another nursery first -- like Roses Unlimited or High Country roses!

Bought my plants last May in Brenham. (The grounds are beautiful.) The three plants I bought kept blooming and blooming, they grew splendidly. Had some mildew problems at one point in the late spring, not from the roses, I don't think, but it affected them. They survived just fine.

I have ordered from this company for the last two or three years. They are fabulous. Beautiful catalog, website and roses. I received some a few weeks ago and they are already blooming. This company is the best place to buy all sorts of roses. I have never had anything but a great experience with them. The roses really are a lot more disease resistant than most others and they do stand up to some neglect but thrive with proper care. They do really well here zone 8 coastal SC which is extremely hot and humid for months in the summer. This is the definitive place to buy old, antique and found roses.

I've only placed one order with them. It was for 2 Belinda's Dream. They arrived covered with black spot. They're doing OK now.

My plants arrived in great shape, strong and healthy. The packing was excellent, and I was very happy with the prices. My climate is difficult for roses, and the people at the emporium were able to recommend the perfect ones to thrive here. I couldn't be more pleased and will definitely order from them again.

I ordered 6 roses from them a year ago. One of them died and they were very polite and replaced it the following spring. I think the prices were very reasonable, the plants were shipped in 2 gallon containers and were all very healthy and are growing quite well in my garden. The replacement plant was shipped promptly and was also healthy.

Agree with other positive comments. Website is most helpful and you can quickly find all the roses they have for sale and what is currently in stock. Just received a rose in a one gallon container and it is healthy looking and disease free. Packing was well done. I would definately do business with them again.

Ordered two roses from them this spring. They both arrived with all leaves still green and healthy, and were incredibly well packaged. And I live in Maryland!

I have ordered roses twice before from the Antique Rose Emporium - once when I lived in Texas and once now that I live in Indiana. Both times the roses arrived in good condition and disease free(no black spot). I particularly like that their online catalog lets you know availability. Other online nurseries would do well to emulate this site.

I have had a decent experience with this company. The times Ive bought before the plants were healthy. This year of 2001 the plants had black spot upon arrival. Still, the selection and price are worth it. However Id appreciate not getting roses with black spot the next time I order.

Several antique roses in my Central Texas 100% heat have withered. 80 percent of everything purchased through Antique Rose Emporium have survived even during a prolong trip out of town. Sombreil died but Mme. Alfred Carriere surpasses expectation. They also have numerous grasses for heat Zone 8 and above. Ask for specifics on the phone. Staff is knowledgeable. Henry Flowers, no kidding, is the Best!

I ordered four roses about eight years ago. Three arrived in perfect shape. They were large and well rooted. Antique Rose Emporium claimed that two of them were shade tolerant, and both have, in fact, done very well in very shady conditions (a few hours of morning sun). The climber took a few years to reach eight feet or so in length, but then it took off. It's now more than 25 feet long and doing better than ARE claimed it would. My only complaint is that they canceled the order for the fourth one. They did not let me know until the others were shipped, which left me no time to pick an alternate selection.

In December 99 I bought five roses from ARE, Teas and Chinas. At $15 for the rose plus $5 S&H for potted roses, it cost the same as buying a potted rose from a local nursery. All were delivered in good health and what I think were good size. As of June 2000, out of the five roses I'm delighted with two of them, Frances Dubruiel and Cadenza. The other three are doing all right, about as I'd expected. I recommend ARE without hesitation and plan to buy from them again.

Since I live in Houston, Texas, ARE is a suburb away. ARE's selection is superb and the staff is courteous. The Mlle. Franziska Kruger I purchased in spring 1998 is a constant bloomer, even with a period of neglect. Belinda's Dream, Great Western and Chysler Imperial (bought in 1999) are superb both in bloom, growth and fragrance. My Perle des Jardins and Hermosa (1999) have not fared so well, but both have made it through the "winter" and seem to have rejuvenated since I have moved them to other spots in my garden. Maggie, Granny Grimmetts, Radiance (2000) are beautiful specimens which I hope will fare well. In addition, I have just bought Climbing Pinkie and am told that it is in constant bloom and can grow 7 feet easily in 1 year; I look forward to seeing that. Overall, I am very impressed with ARE and will go back in the future.

They're pretty nice and have a wide selection.

My family has purchased over 12 roses from the Antique Rose Emporium over an 8-year period. All have done quite well, even in Central Texas droughts and heat waves. They require little care and bloom all the time!Also, the herbs I purchased from the ARE last summer were the only ones that survived the history-making drought we Texans suffered through last year. Any plants that can survive being transplanted in +100F heat are good enough for me. The folks that work out there are knowledgeable and courteous. My mother placed an order (at the store) for an out of stock "Lavender Pink Parfait" rose one June, and they actually called her when they finally got it in that November! Each rose is about $15.00 each. You may think this is a bit expensive, but you really get what you pay for. The ONLY rose in our backyard that isn't from the ARE has required tons of babying and coddling. One aside: I attended a wedding held in the ARE and found the grounds to be even nicer on the day of the ceremony. I strongly recommend paying the $5.00 for the catalog (I use it as a reference), and if you live anywhere near Independence, Texas (or Brenham, where Blue Bell ice cream is made) to take a tour of the garden.

I have ordered from ARE and was very happy with my rose I spent several years looking for a certain rose and was very happy to find it here. They sent it to me and as a gift to someone else. The service is great.

I have had 100% success with over 20 different roses ordered through the years from Antique Rose Emporium. The climbers have sometimes taken a year to get going, but none have died with very minimal care and drought conditions some years. My only complaint is that I never get a catalog the next year!

The 6 roses I ordered from Antique Rose Emporium are all doing very well after only 6 months in the ground. They arrived bare root, really sort of sad looking. The have all grown tremendously, and all but one bloomed several times this spring and two are still blooming (July). I will definitely order from them again.

I ordered about 30 roses in Fall 1996 from Antique Rose Emporium. English yellow died fast. Buff Beauty was the best and is blooming nonstop (it's February in So California) and our several plants filled their pillars within 4 months of fall planting but stay within bounds, Sombruiel is doing great, Dortmund is strong, Constance Spry hasn't bloomed yet, but is better than grafted C. Spry that I tried in the past. Zepherine Droughin (sp?) is vigorous though the foliage is not as great as the catalogue sounds. I intend on ordering more Bourbon roses from them.

I find them a very satisfactory supplier in the own-root rose niche. Their plants are the largest (2gal) and well-rooted and disease free, packing is excellent, condition on arrival is good and price for what you get (the largest pot-grown own-root rose available) is fair. They occupy the 2nd to top spot in my pantheon of own-root rose suppliers, and I order from them all. I do not agree with their recommendation that you plant in the fall above Zone 6 or 7, and I agree their zone ratings are conservative.

Over the last 5 years I have purchased MANY roses; I have loved all of them EXCEPT: English Yellow (black spot) & English Orange (bloomed one rose in two years). All of the old garden roses are wonderful in my San Antonio gardens/

Beautiful catalogue, lots of info. I ordered 10 plants which arrived for fall planting (highly recommended by ARE). All were in pretty good shape, but they were fairly large plants in soil with premium shipping costs. I planted and waited. Three survived, two were replaced, the rest died. The policy is replacement if plant dies in 3 months, however, with a fall planting, you cannot always tell if the plant is dead. I will order again from ARE, but not for fall planting. I have had much better results with smaller plants from other companies.

I ordered 12 roses from them this spring (1997.) They are all growing and doing great. Because of some construction, I had to wait several weeks to plant 6 of them. All of the roses are either blooming or have numerous buds on them and are growing better than I expected antique roses to grow in the first month or so. I live in Texas and can buy ARE roses from local nurseries. It seems the roses I got directly from ARE are doing even better than ones that I bought locally. I would order from them again and would recommend them.

I planted 5 roses last year and 3 this year from ARE. All but the English Yellow are doing very well in Houston, Texas.

My local old-roser Sara Glickstein said that she got small plants that needed to be babied the first year. They are newly rooted cutting and cannot be put in a difficult spot in the garden but must be carried on in the nursery. This is a bit impractical in her garden, and the plants died.

I live in Tucson Arizona and have different -problems than most of the country. The heat during the summer makes most of my roses go semi-dormant. I have ordered with success from the Antique Rose Emporium. The plants have been large for own-root roses and quite healthy.