I looked at the website and it wouldn't let me view her list of roses.

It's easier to search "Long Ago Roses" as a nursery on HelpMeFind and see what she carries there. I, too, have had great experiences with ordering from Linda.

:-)

~Christopher

Here is a link that might be useful: Long Ago Roses on HelpMeFind

Linda is a great person to work with. She is fair and her prices are very good. You will not be disappointed.

Carla

I agree that Linda from Long Ago and Burling from Burlington are great to order from and very reasonably priced, with nicely rooted plants. I find that it's most reliable for any given season to email them both to see what's current for the season, since the HMF list is only what they have potentially available in mother plants, not necessarily what's available for a given season. I have however put in "wish list" requests for next season that they both will take into account if possible in their plans.

Cynthia

Thanks so much everyone. I am so glad to know it is a reliable nursery and also Burlington. Boncrow - Earlier today, I couldn't open the varieties list either, but was able to open it this evening.

Here's the band-size "Parfum de Paris" rose that I got from Linda of LongAgoRoses. Root is big & solid. All 4 bands are 100% healthy, about 1 foot tall. Very happy with healthy plants & perfection in packing. I look forward to receive my 2nd box, for a total of eight own-roots purchased from LongAgoRoses for this year. NOTE: the stem is larger than a pencil, which is vital for my zone 5 winter survival.

I plant own-roots in pots first (fertilized with alfalfa meal & high potassium fertilizer) to grow the biggest woody & chunky root to survive winter. If the roots are cluster, rather than chunky & woody (like Dr.Huey), they won't survive my -20 below zero winter. Frost goes down 1 foot deep for every -10 below zero. Once the own-roots get big in pots, I plant them 6 inch. below ground, then top with a foot of wood-chips. I also cut the bottom of big-plastic pots off, then put this circular plastic-ring around own-roots to protect them from rabbits in late fall & spring.

I just got my shipment from her. She is so nice. I had an order for last fall but had flooding and had to cancel my order, She was so gracious. told her I would like to get them this May. They just came in today. They look great.... nice and healthy.

Sharon: What did you get from LongAgoRoses? I got these 4 from Linda this May: Golden Celebration (already have an 11-year-own-root, want another one), Parfume de Paris, Well-Being, and Teasing Georgia. I have 4 more coming: Wise Portia (died this winter), Tradescant, Felicia, Leander (thornless water-hog for my soaking wet clay).

Agree on the quality of her plant with superb packing and excellent customer service. Re-post the review from another customer, see below:

Raoul. Texas, zone 8 last year

"I just received an order from Freedom Gardens and I’ve never been more disappointed. I received 3 “1 gallon roses” that are nothing more than 3-4 inch tall cuttings with a few roots in a bag. On the other hand, I also received 4 roses from Long Ago Roses, (for cheaper) and even the ones Linda considers “small plants” were 3-4 times bigger and with larger root systems. I am still in shock. I just don’t understand how its even possible for them to be in business..

Here’s a picture of a Plant from Freedom Gardens next to one from Long Ago Roses:

They both arrived yesterday. The difference in size and quality just blows my mind." Raoul, Texas, zone 8.

From the photo reposted by straw, one cannot tell if the rootball from Freedom Gardens is tiny or massive. It was first posted presumably to support the charge leveled by the author of the original post. Why was the photo posted (much less reposted)?

Yes, his roses are often very small but I haven't lost the one even planting in November. By the next spring they are growing well. Also, the majority of his roses are only available through him. This is including early releases and European roses that were never released here. Most of his roses are propagated to be sold during his open house in situ in a smaller greenhouse in Z5 and I just pray he continues to sell mail order. With so few resources for rare roses already, It's worth it.

That said, Linda sells fantastic roses! First time buying from her and I am so pleased. Packaging and everything is excellent.

I should try and get pics of them today. This was just a couple of weeks ago and they are ready to be repotted again.

I order Well Being and Lavender Crush. I have heard so many nice things and have seen beautiful pictures here on this site.

Rifts: Do you buy from Freedom Gardens or LongAgoRoses? Is your planting zone cold like mine where big & solid roots are crucial for winter-survival? I post to share info. & save cold-zoners the misery of losing roses, what is your purpose of posting?

Vaporvac: Fantastic pics showing the big rootball, and your plants look great from LongAgoRoses !! What are the plants in your pics, esp. the one with a bloom? Thank you.

Sharon: I also got Well Being from Linda. You did well choosing Lavender Crush as own-root. I have 2 Lavender Crush (grafted-on-Dr.Huey) and they are giants in my zone 5. The problem with grafted-on-Dr.Huey: tons of blooms (esp. the 2nd year), then a drastic decline in blooms in year 3 and beyond.

Like my 8th-year-old Double-Delight (grafted-on Dr.Huey) now has only 3 blooms per flush.
My 2 own-root Double-Delights bloomed much better with smaller plants, but hybrid-tea-on-own-root can't survive long my zone 5 winter.

I can only speak for myself but I think the picture shown above was confusing as it looks like both root masses where the same size and only the canes were small. I think different packaging could help maintain FG rootmass in shipping.

I bought from LLR Vineyard Song with the bloom, Purple Skyliner, AUSdrawn AKA TheGG, and Rosy Mantle. Vineyard Song keeps blooming!😃 Lovely scent.

Vaporvac: Appreciate your info. Vineyard song looks better than my Blue Mist. Please inform me about its wafting scent-power. Thank you.

The thickness of root matter with zone 5 winter-survival. If the root is whitish or thin cluster, the chance of zone 5 winter-survival is zero. If the root is thick & brown and woody, then the chance is good. All the plants I received from LongAgoRoses have thick & woody and brown roots. I need to grow roots to 2 gallon size for zone 5 winter-survival, and I find that alfalfa meal & calcium and potassium help with root-growth, as shown in hydroponics YouTube that the biggest root-growth was accomplished with high calcium and high potassium.

Yes. I think the major issue with those from freedom garden is it there ship in the fall. So I think for people in colder zones it might be difficult for them to over winter either in pots or in the ground. Having said that, I've had 0 problem with them. I would just hate to Stare anyone wrong. I also need to get my roses very large before planting them in late august through the fall. When never knows what side of winter it will be. I will be sure to report back on vineyard song. I also got sweet chariot from high country roses which I believe was the sibling. I have 1 of these roses for years so very thrilled to see them.

I am awaiting 3 roses from Long Ago Roses. This is my first time ordering from her and I have to agree that Linda has been wonderful. Shes patiently, and very promptly, responded to my many inquiries regarding availability and has been very accommodating the entire time. I am very excited to receive my roses! She wanted to make sure all three had put on enough growth before she shipped them out.

Agree with Erasmus that the height of a plant doesn't determine success nor winter-survival, but it's the solidity of the roots that count. If the roots are thick and brownish, then there's a good chance, provided that it's grown in a pot for 6 MORE months prior to zone 5 planting.

I got 4 rootings from a friend this mid-April with the height of 3 inch, and the rootball is 3/4 the size of LongAgoRoses'. One of the friend's rooting is Abraham Darby, a very vigorous rose, and now it has a fat bud ready to bloom this week. This rooting shot up from 3" to being taller than LongAgoRoses' bands. Some roses have more vigor, esp. Austin roses. Hybrid teas are wimpier and takes longer to achieve the height.

Within the month of receiving my rose roses from Long Ago Roses, Well Being has two buds on it and Lavender Crush has a bloom already.

So excited! Thanks Linda for the wonderful roses.

Sharon

Here are before and after pics. of 4 band-size received from LongAgoRoses on May 12:

Right band is Golden Celebration

Below Golden Celebration grew to be 3 feet wide, below pic. taken June 26, less than 1 1/2 month growth as band-size (received May 12). I constantly have to pinch off buds from it. The black pot with less leaves (upper right) is gallon-size from Roses Unlimited received on June 23.

I find that band-size roses grown in pot, can easily achieve gallon-size root within 1 month. Click on below pic. to enlarge and see how big Golden Cel. gets in less than 1 1/2 month.

Below is Parfum de Paris received on May 12

Less than 1 month later, Parfum de Paris gave me 3" bloom across bloom, plus I pinched off 8 buds:

Below shows the healthy & glossy foliage of Perfum de Paris:

Below Well Being band, received on May 12, also gave me a bloom less than 1 month:

Well Being grows to be larger than gallon-size, below pic. taken 6/26/21/ Pinched off 4 buds so root can grow big to survive zone 5 winter. The pot is 3-gallon.

My Well Being is also less than an month old and is putting out a nice rose and another bud.

It is nice and healthy. Can't detect any scent, but hope it develops as the plant matures...

My Well-Being bloom smells strong fruity (similar to Golden Celebration). I use pea-gravel water, plus mixed in 2 cups of alfalfa meal plus 1/2 cup Dolomite lime (22% calcium and 12% magnesium) into the potting soil. In my 11 years of growing band-size roses in pots (before transferring into the ground), the best year is with alfalfa meal mixed into potting soil resulting in fast growth & early flowering. Below is band size Crimson Glory (from Burlington roses) back in 2012, it gave 3 blooms plus 1 bud within 1 month of of purchase. I mixed alfalfa meal into potting soil.

I prefer band-size since they flower sooner with cluster root (even sooner than Roses Unlimited' gallon-size). I bought LARGE bare-roots from Regan Nursery and it took at least 2 months before the bare-root leafed out & grew tall enough for flowering.

strawchicago z5

what size is the pot that you are using that you use to mix the 2 cups alfalfa and 1/2 cup dolomite. And what is the brand of potting mix that you use.

I normally use the Miracle Grow Moisture Control... I have also used regular Miracle Grow potting soil.... but this past spring I used one bag of the regular and when I opened the bag it smelled of heavy pine. I didn't think too much of it, but I ended up losing a couple of own root roses within the week. I am sure it was from the potting mix. I thin they did not like the potting mix. I did not add anything to the soil but will try your formula next.

I plan on planting Well Being in the ground this fall. I am just trying to get some size on my plants.

Thanks for the info

Sharon: The regular MG potting soil is acidic, tested pink in red-cabbage juice. But the MG-Moisture-Control tested neutral pH (clear) in red-cabbage juice. I always use MG-Moisture-Control since we have heavy rain at pH 4.5.

The MG-moisture-control bag states that it prevents overwatering & underwatering. It has larger particles for faster drainage. The pot I use is 3 to 4 gallons. Besides mixing in 2 cups alfalfa with 1/2 cup Garden Lime, I always top my pots with 2 TBS. lime first, then 1/3 cup of alfalfa meal prior to a heavy rain. I also mixed in 1/4 cup of Osmocote PLUS NPK 15-9-12 into the potting soil prior to planting. Osmocote PLUS has slow nitrogen but with trace elements for blooming.

If a rose is stunt with no growth, then I use Acid Lilly Miller NPK 10-5-4 granular fertilizer (2 TBS. on top). It sounds contradictory to use an Acid-fertilizer during acidic rain, but I already tested the pH of Acid-Lilly-Miller: it's neutral due to its calcium that neutralizes its sulfur.

Too much watering (be it rain or tap-water) leaches out nitrogen, calcium, then sulfur from pots.

In hot & dry weather I skip granular fertilizer like Acid-Lilly Miller and use SOLUBLE fertilizer weekly. When the weather is hot & dry, I use 1/2 dose of SOLUBLE fertilizer.

Sulfur is an essential nutrient for plant growth. Without sulfur the entire plant is stunt and leaves are pale. Sulfur comes in different forms: fast acid like gypsum or ammonium sulfate, or elemental sulfur (this acid takes a long time to release), or neutral pH like sulfate of potash and Langbeinite.

Below is my pot ghetto of 12 bands (8 from LongAgoRoses), plus 6 gallons from Roses Unlimited, pic. taken this June. I pinch off buds daily so these can grow large roots to survive my zone 5 winter when I plant them into the ground late Oct.

Acid Lilly Miller NPK 10-5-4 works well for low-thorn water-hog like James Galway, right next to the rain-spout with only 4 hrs. of morning sun: It's a 7th-year-own-root. If we have hot & dry weather then I skip NPK 10-5-4 altogether and use only alfalfa meal. My clay is rock hard so I need a granular Acid fertilizer which has SOLUBLE phosphorus and potassium to move down.

Wow.... did not expect this. But the little Well Being bloom that had no scent yesterday is a powerhouse today. I walked out my door and said WOW "something smells great."

Did not know that blooms can gain scent. I knew that time of day and weather can have effects... but it was same time and same weather pattern.... just a day older.

But no cares.... it has a wonderful scent.

Why they don't ship to CA?

there was an older post on LongAgoRoses and she explained that due to horticultural regulations in CA she can't ship there.

She stopped shipping to the western states in 2013, due to agricultural requirements in those states.

How do people look up David Austin non-trademarked names code?🤷‍♂️ please let me know how I can look them up. TIA

Most of the David Austin non-trademark names begin with the letters AUS.

To get a list I goto https://www.helpmefind.com/rose/plants.php

In the search area type AUS....

You will get a few other roses other than David Austin's....

Then you can browse through them. When you like what you see click on that rose. It will bring up more information and it will give you alternate names.

Thank you. I got it figured out. But didn’t find what I was looking for (Geoff Hamilton) 😆

Hmf.com

Go to helpmefind.com, and enter Geoff Hamilton in the search. On the info page, it will tell you what its code name is. Edit: here's the link on HMF for Geoff Hamilton:

https://www.helpmefind.com/gardening/l.php?l=2.18265

MG-Moisture control potting soil changes its formula to more forest products (years ago it had more peat moss thus wetter). "Forest products" or composted woodchips provide FAST DRAINAGE during week-long rain. Below are my 12 bands-own-roots (most from LongAgoRoses), pic. taken today July 9, they were bought as tiny band-size on May 12. Now Parfume de Paris is over 2 feet tall. These are less than 2 months growth: Zero blackspots after week-long humid weather.

I pinch off buds daily so they can grow roots big enough for zone 5 winter. One drawback: it drains so fast that I have to water pots twice a day. Roses in pots are much healthier than in my slow-drainage clay (the 2 top ones are in my dense clay):

I'm having problems with band-size Felicia in a pot (one bloom and not much growth during this July's 2 weeks of rain), does anyone know what is the best soil pH, soil type, and fertilizer for Felicia? Thank you.

I have nothing but praise to the business. I have had the pleasure of ordering from her several times, and the plants have been very nice and beautiful. I currently have the plants in gallon pots; so far, they are looking pretty healthy! I definitely need to order from her again!

Also, StrawChicago, thanks for all of the posts! I'm taking copious notes. :D

The pots which I mixed 1 cup of gypsum (calcium sulfate) a month in advance have more vigorous growth than the pots without gypsum. Gypsum has 20% sulfur for growth and dark-green leaves. Plus calcium for solid roots & taller plant. But gypsum is acidic, so I need to let the acid passes through the soil, before putting tiny bands in.

Below is Well-Being on July 14, this has NO gypsum mixed in, thus smaller in growth. Pinched off at least 12 buds on it since received May 12:

Below are the pots with gypsum mixed in, pic. taken July 18. Much taller & more vigorous growth:

Below is Sweet Mademoiselle as 3rd year own-root, it had at least 10 cups of gypsum to break up my heavy clay ... done 1 month prior to planting. The growth is fast, now is 5' x 5' with 40+ buds in 4 hrs. of sun. Pic. taken July 24:

Gypsum is good for compacted & heavy clay where I don't have enough acidic grass clippings to make clay fluffy: Excerpt from below link: "Studies have shown that soils with at least 10 percent organic matter don’t benefit from the addition of gypsum."
https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/garden-how-to/soil-fertilizers/using-gypsum-in-garden.htm

The own-roots Austin roses I got this year from LongAgoRoses are VERY VIGOROUS, throwing 2 feet octopus cane after receiving them as tiny bands in mid-May and mid-June. I like my 11th-year-own-root Golden Cel. so much that I get a 2nd one from LongAgoRoses (for more cut-blooms):

Golden Cel. bought from LongAgoRoses mid-May, fast growth with 2 feet long cane. Pic. taken July 1:

Below is Wenlock bought from LongAgoRoses mid-June, the bloom is very fragrant:

Teasing Georgia and Tradescant from LongAgoRoses threw 2 feet-long canes as band-size bought in mid-June, very vigorous. Below Tradescant shortly after purchase, got my first bloom this week, less fragrant than Wenlock but lasts long in the vase. Blooms behind it are Double-Delight.

My Well Being is blooming again..... I just love this rose.

Nice and healthy and smells great!

I like the little points on the petals....

Sharon: Love that exotic petals on your well-being !!

I like Well Being shrub way more than Sutter's Gold (stingy). So far I pinched off at least 25 buds on Well-being (received May 11 band-size). The first bloom had scent similar to Gold Cel. I love its low-thorn & vigor & leaves are always healthy despite 2 weeks of rain in July (3 to 6 inch. per day). Below pic. was taken July 22, recently I gave it chicken manure (high phosphorus) and it branched out more with 4 buds per stem.

Hummingbird Roses carries some older Austins and will ship bare root to the west, she is trying to add more roses and focus on roses that do well in colder climates.

When I asked about why Long Ago Roses doesn't ship west, she said that the she would have to use chemicals because of fire ants, japanese beetles and something else due to our ag restrictions for her state (seems the west states are less restrictive with a few east states and more restrictive with others.)

Has anyone tried contacting longagoroses ? Normally Linda responds quickly but she hasn't responded to 2 emails i sent, one in November and the 2nd one a week ago.

Nurseries deal with Japanese beetle restrictions different ways. For example RU grows all their nursery plants in greenhouses that are beetle proof. So they don't have to bare root or treat with chemicals. Others are required to treat with chemicals or bare root. I'd like to hear more about how well bare rooting a small own root plant works...I have tried it just to see what the roots look like and to me they were unsatisfactory. at least in appearance. SMALL without the soil ball. But if that works well and people are ok with it that might be a possibility.

Purilisa, I don't know how your email was overlooked..hope you'll try again.

erasmus, I've wondered the same thing about bare-rooting small own-root roses. I've been making cuttings of my rare roses to trade or give to folks, and I generally grow them in 6" or 1 gallon pots for 6-12 months before sending. I've always sent them with the root/soil ball wrapped in plastic, but I've often wondered if I could bare-root them to save on shipping.

Susan, I'd think that a gallon rose would have pretty good sized roots and they should do fine bare rooted. I asked Mindy at Hummingbird how she does it and she said she wraps the roots in damp sphagnum moss, and encloses that in a plastic bag.

erasmus, Thanks for the info. I should probably get brave and bare root one just to see what the roots actually look like! I've made tons of cuttings over the years, but have never bare rooted one. It should be interesting :-D

Very happy with the 8 band-size roses bought from LongAgoRoses. Most vigorous and gave 30+ buds received as tiny-rootings: Well Being, Parfum de Paris, Abraham Darby.

Golden Celebration gave a total of 10 blooms in a dinky pot (better than my 11th-year own-root Golden-Cel. in my clay). Below is a progression of band-size from LongAgoRoses received on May 17, 2021:

Two months later Golden Cel. in the front reddish pot became 2-gallons on July 14, 2021 (it's larger than Golden Fairy tale in the black pot, bought as gallon-size from Roses Unlimited). Click on pic. to enlarge:

Parfume de Paris, from a tiny band, grew into 2-gallon root-ball with 15+ buds in less than 4 months:

Well Being grew fast into a 15+ buds bush, pic. taken early Sept. 2021:

Well Being with 15+ buds in a dinky 2.5 gallon pot, pic. taken early Sept 2021:

Own-roots can give huge blooms as 1st-year-band if fed right. Abraham Darby (1st-year-band-size) is the lowest right pink bloom with the most petals. Left upper pink is 5th-year-own-root Princess Charlene de Monaco. Left lowest pink is 10th-year-own-root Evelyn. Poseidon (blue) is 7th-year-own-root.

Below Parfum de Paris (band-size in May) gave abundant 3" blooms, amazing honeysuckle scent, pic. taken early Sept.

Abraham Darby's 1st bloom was 4 inch. across. I find that own-roots, even band-size, give blooms faster than LARGE bare-roots (both as own-root and grafted-on-Dr.Huey) from Regan Nursery. It's takes longer for bare stems to grow leaves than for tiny rootings to bloom in a pot.

I bought 8 bands from LongAgoRoses in May and June of 2021. The best and strongest scents were from Felicia and Leander. Felicia was wafting musk and old rose. Inhaling Leander was like in heaven, the scent gets stronger in cool fall. I was impressed how Leander blooms lasted 6 days in the vase.

Wenlock had better scent than Tradescant, and Wenlock is low thorn. Low-thorn roses like Felicia, Leander, Wenlock, and Nahema don't like my dense clay. These are slow to grow in my sticky & dense black clay, or in potting soil made dense with mix-in alfalfa and lime. These prefer light and fluffy soil.

If I had to do it all over again, I would fix both potting soil and dense clay with gypsum to make soil lighter and more fluffy for these low-thorn roses. Nahema's blooms are exquisite, but best for loamy and fluffy soil. Below is Nahema's bloom as 1st-year own-root, the petals are thick like butter frosting on a cake, and the smell is a blend of exquisite rose and fruits, simply WOW.

I never see blackspots on Nahema (upper branches are thornless). Nahema gets my vote as the most exquisite blooms with the most addictive and enchanting scent (way better than Evelyn's peachy scent). One bloom of Nahema gives me more enjoyment than any of my 140+ fragrant roses. Below Nahema is stingy but it's worth it. I'm tempted to get it again after it died in my zone 5 winter years ago. A friend nearby has Nahema as own-root for over a decade, so perhaps I need to dig deeper for drainage.

I don't see blackspots on below Leander either, but my dense clay isn't best for it. Below blooms of Leander knocked me over with its strong scent, it's musk and old rose, pure heaven. The bush is very low thorn:

Below yellow Well-being beats Jude the Obscure in the deliciousness of its scent, like a juicy tropical desert. I got so tired of pinching Well Being's buds off for my zone 5 winter-survival .. I gave up, it ended up with 15+ blooms in its 3rd flush as 1st-year own-root:

I really miss Versigny which I bought in 2013, it died after a few years. Hope that will be available in future. Below was Versigny back in 2013 in my garden, never see any diseases, always healthy, and the scent is rose and apricot nectar. I take sniffing Versigny over eating an apricot pie anytime.

Below Versigny is orange, red is Firefighter, white is Bolero, and pink is Liv Tyler. For ranking of scent as a temporary passport to heaven: Versigny is a 10, Bolero is a 8, Firefighter is a 8, and Liv Tyler is a 1 (sour apricot and moth ball). Versigny leads the pack in fragrance among my 140+ fragrant own-root roses, besides Comte de Chambord and Duchess de Rohan.

Hope to find this. Wise Portia died after 8 years of constant blooming in my zone 5 garden, thanks to spring flood. Wise Portia scent is exquisite old rose and spice ONLY if the weather is cold. Its fabulous scent is gone at warm temp. I like Wise Portia scent more than Barcelona. Below Wise Portia is in 4 hours of sun. It's best in dry soil and fast drainage:

Below deep purple is Wise Portia, white is Bolero, and pink is Liv Tyler. Wise Portia is worth growing for constant blooming and the amazing scent in cool weather. I get "high" from its scent, a mix of old rose, grape, and a hint of spice. Scent is better than any purple that I grow (Deep purple, Shocking Blue, Big Purple, Barbra Streissand, Twilight zone, and Baby Fauraux):