Hartwood Roses

There was a time I paid attention to cliche's about roses.  Needy, needy, needy.

Wrong, the best roses are tough, tough, tough.
.
Choose a rose KNOWN to be good in your area for at least 2 decades.  Buying from the supercenter or asking someone who mows grass for a living isn't an option.  Would you ask your dermatologist about heart palpitations?
.
I went to my local Rose Society to discover the BEST roses.   Climbing 'Dortmund', above, was one of the choices.  It's never watered, fertilized, or sprayed with chemicals yet it blooms early summer till frost in my garden with pretty hips throughout fall.
.
Hartwood Roses is a delightful nursery.  They WANT you to have the BEST roses for your zone/garden.
.
Connie, of Hartwood Roses, sent this note yesterday:
.

This is a quick message to remind you that this Saturday, September 24, 2011, is the final scheduled open nursery day of the 2011 season.  Even though the summer heat and dryness was hard on the garden (and the gardener) there are quite a few roses in bloom to see if you are planning to visit to choose your roses in person.

Here is an offer for those of you who do not live nearby that may help you to decide to buy the roses you have been waiting order.  All rose orders placed from now until October 7 will get half-price shipping!   Orders will be calculated manually and invoiced to reflect the reduced shipping cost.

Please remember that I have decided to take a year off from mass propagation of next year’s crop to concentrate on other aspects of the Hartwood Roses mission that I have not had the time to develop.  Stay tuned for details of planned workshops and hands-on demonstrations to help you learn to grow better roses.  There will be a few new rose varieties available next spring, along with the roses that carry over from this year, but not in the quantities that are usually available. 

The realities of the current economy have been hard on the nursery business.  Hartwood Roses will continue to exist, but it must evolve to reflect the new reality of reduced time and interest in rose gardening, especially heirloom varieties of roses, and tighter household budgets.  I have worked too hard to build this business and its reputation to throw in the towel because times are hard. 

On a more positive note, if you are in the area and want to see the debut of my new program, “How To Grow Beautiful Climbing Roses”, plan to visit the Richmond Rose Society meeting this Sunday, September 25, at 2pm, in the auditorium of Children’s Hospital.  (Click HERE for address and directions).

In closing, I would like to thank you for your support of Hartwood Roses, as it grows and changes to meet today’s challenges. 

Sincerely,

Connie

P.S.  Keep up with the happenings in the nursery, garden, and in our family in a more personal way by reading my blog.  www.hartwoodroses.blogspot.com

.