I have mixed feelings about J&P. I've received three orders of them within the last year. Last fall I got: Disneyland, Moondance, and the mini Denver's Dream Copper. All own root and all made it through the winter but the mini has never grown much and Disneyland is small although healthy (but it really isn't meant for my climate). Moondance took off and is a great rose. This spring, bareroot I got Hypnotize, Pope John Paul II, and Astounding Glory. Not the biggest bareroots. PJPII never came out of dormancy and they refunded my money without an issue. This fall I got a few climbers, shrubs, and floribundas and they just came in this past weekend even though they were ordered in August. Much bigger and healthier looking that what I have received before so we will see.

In all, pros:
-They have roses you can't get anywhere else
-Getting refunds or exchanges doesn't seem to be an issue if needed
-The plants are not in bad shape

Cons:
-They ship really late in the fall!
-The roses you get aren't in the best shape
-For what you get, they are expensive!!

So if you see something there you like that you have to have, I'd say go for it. If you can find it anywhere else, get it there.

Karolina

The new J & P is owned by a venture capital company that bought J & P out of bankruptcy. They wanted the land used for the growing fields for development. They are not rose people.

I've heard that all of the roses they sell are grown by subcontractors. Quality may vary.

The roses they are "introducing" may be roses that were in the pipeline while Keith Zary headed up the hybridizing of new roses, and may have never been introduced because he didn't think they were worthy of introduction. Also, the new J & P does not seem to have the same integrity that the brand used to be known for and they have re-named roses previously introduced, applied patent numbers from a completely different rose and even breeder code number from a third rose for the new introduction.

I do know that the quality of the Weeks roses I have purchased varies by what subcontractor provided the roses to the nursery, so I am even reluctant to purchase a Weeks rose unless I can see the root system.

Many of the roses that were only sold budded in the past, may never grow well own root. They were never tested own root and no one really knows whether or not the rose needs the extra vigor provided by the root stock. Just because a plant is own root, doesn't mean it's going to be a successful garden rose.

Smiles,
Lyn

Like anything else it's buyer beware. If it's something you feel you really have to have and no one else carries it and you're willing to take the chance then go for it. Otherwise I'd shop elsewhere.

The J & P roses shipped to me this autumn, and last year, have been outstanding quality. I've ordered from them over many years, and always been pleased. They've recently introduced some new roses that are fantastic.

I have also had good luck with them. Ordered for years, many different types of roses, other products, etc. never been disappointed. For being a very commercial rose vendor of the popular everyday roses, as opposed to the unique, they have been fine.

Summary of the history of Jackson & Perkins (sources: wikipedia, arsyankee.org, businessweek, Plant Delights website )

Charles H. Perkins (1840-1924) and his father-in-law, Albert E. Jackson (1807-1895) start Jackson & Perkins in1872 in Newark, New York as a truck farm producing strawberries, raspberries, and grapes. Charles' interests strayed from fruit production into the wholesale nursery business.

In 1882, Charles became fascinated with rose propagation. In 1884, he hired Alvin Miller as foreman of his newly evolving rose business. Miller, a hybridizer, was directed to develop a special rose new to the rose market. His first success, introduced in 1901, was the 'Dorothy Perkins' rose, named for Charles Perkins' granddaughter (later: Dorothy Estabrook).

Jackson & Perkins remained a family affair when, in 1928, Charles "Charlie" Perkins, nephew of the founder, succeeded his uncle as President. He furthered the company's involvement in rose hybridization by hiring Dr. Jean Henri Nicolas, an internationally known French hybridizer, to head the new, expanded rose hybridization department.

After Dr. Nicolas's death in 1937, Eugene Boerner, his understudy, became J&P's head hybridizer. Boerner made great strides in the floribunda class of rose. The 'Worlds Fair' rose of 1939 was a sensation.

Charlie Perkins died in 1963, Gene Boerner in 1967. In 1966, Jackson & Perkins Company was purchased by Harry and David, the world's largest mail order fruit business.

William Warriner continued the hybridizing work of Boerner. He introduced three hybrids developed by Gene Boerner which won AARS awards: Gay Princess in 1967, Gene Boerner in 1969, and "First Prize" in 1970. Warriner went on to win nineteen All-America awards for his rose introductions while working on J&P hybrids.

In 1984, the corporation was sold to R.J. Reynolds Development Corporation. Dr. Keith Zary succeeded Bill Warriner as Director of Research for J&P roses in 1985.

In 1986, Bear Creek Corporation, which included Jackson & Perkins, was purchased by Shaklee Corporation, which in turn was purchased by Yamanouchi Pharmaceutical Co. Ltd of Japan in 1989.

On April 10, 2007, Harry and David Holdings sold most of the assets of Jackson & Perkins to an investment group headed by Donald and Glenda Hachenberger. The Hachenberger investment group also owned an interest in the Park Seed Company.

The combined company did not fare well. Here we turn to the comments of Tony Avent of Plant Delights Nursery on the situation in early 2010:

"Bad news in the nursery industry continued this month when George W. Park Seed Company (which includes Wayside Gardens) filed for Chapter 11 Bankruptcy protection on April 2. Park Seed also operates two affiliate businesses, Park Seed Wholesale and Jackson and Perkins Direct Marketing (Roses), which were also included in the filing. Park has 120 days to present a plan for restructuring for long term success, or the assets will be sold to pay off its debts. In the meantime, it's business as usual. There is always the option that another firm will purchase the company and try to keep it running.

For those who may not know much about the company's history, George W. Park Seed Company began business in 1868, and started their wholesale division a few years later in 1870. Wayside Gardens opened in 1920 and operated until 1975, when it was purchased by Park Seed and moved from Mentor, Ohio to Greenwood, SC. Jackson and Perkins, was founded in 1872, and was subsequently purchased in 1966 by Harry and David Co., who owned it until 2007.

Park Seed was still run by members of the Park family until a "hostile takeover" in 2008. Don and Glenda Hachenberger, first obtained a 50% stake of Park Seed and Wayside Gardens in 2005, when they financed Karen Park Jennings takeover of the nursery in a family squabble, from her brother Leonard Park. As the Park stable of businesses began to decline, the Hachenberger's were able to acquire 100% ownership in 2008. In 2007, they (technically J & P Acquisitions, a company made up of Don and Glenda Hachenberger and their children's trust fund) also purchased Jackson and Perkins from Harry and David for 21 million dollars, and moved its operations to Greenwood, South Carolina. All four companies were are currently operated under the Park Seed umbrella, and since neither Wayside, Jackson and Perkins, or Park Wholesale have staff, all the work is performed by the employees of Park Seed.

In 2009 alone, sales of the Park Seed umbrella companies declined a whopping 29%, from 61.6 million to 43.7 million. The worst decline was from Park/Wayside (35%), Jackson and Perkins (30%), and Park Wholesale (15%). In addition to the current bankruptcy issues, the Hachenberger's investment group was also sued for breech of contract by Harry and David in June of last year, and again in February of 2010.

The Park family of companies, while owned by Don and Glenda Hachenberger, who are in the midst of divorce proceedings (never a good thing), are run by Furman graduate, Charles (Chas) Fox. Chas's bio indicates that he played three years in the NFL, before getting into the horticulture business. Interestingly all of the NFL sources that I've checked with, indicated that he only played 4 games in 1986 as a receiver with the St. Louis Cardinals (now the Arizona Cardinals). Fox is also president of Southern Sun Biosystems, a venture capital-funded company that he co-founded to sell high dollar propagation systems. Although Southern Sun Biosystems was a financial bust, Fox was also able to sell his company to the Hachenbergers, who it seems were looking for a quick way to shed some extra cash. Chas also started the now defunct Knox Nursery in South Carolina."

As an aside, J&P/Park did not pay Weeks Roses for major contracts, forcing Weeks into bankruptcy.

The J&P Company, Park Seed, and Wayside group was acquired at auction by Blackstreet Capital Partners in 2010. It is not clear that Blackstreet Capital still owns it; it is not listed in their website's portfolio. According to a businessweek site, a Karen Park Jennings is listed as a "coowner"

"Karen Park Jennings is a Co-owner and Board Chair of George W. Park Seed Company, Inc. Ms. Jennings continues to be a formidable force in the gardening industry, as demonstrated by her leadership roles in the Mailorder Gardening Association and All-America Selections Board of Directors. Starting in the 1990s, she undertook to revise popular 1978 book, Park's Success with Seed. In addition to those college studies, She broadened her education with a sojourn in Holland and for 25 years she worked on the catalog."

Here is a link that might be useful: See also J&P bankruptcy article here

When they had the fire blight infection hit I turned away! I miss the days of William Warriner the plant itself was wonderful to grow. Don't remember its official rose class but in my garden it was a most awsome floribunda! These days after moving from one garden to build yet another. I am a fan of Heirloom Roses and Witherspoon Cultures. I have recently a young couple budding to become rosarians. I've offered to coach and go help plant 5 grandiflora's next growing season, those plants will likely be coming from witherspoon.

I just received 4 quart sized plants from J&P - Disneyland, Cl. America, Our Lady of Guadalupe and Easy Goin'. All arrived well packed and fresh. Disneyland had 2 huge blooms on it, the rest had buds. I got some bare roots in the spring - they were big and healthy. I have no complaints about the company at this time.

Thanks everyone for the info, appreciate it. Thanks hoovb for the history and rosesspecialist I am very familiar with Witherspoon, they are an excellent company. I order from several places, as I believe a lot of us do, I've seen a few roses that J & P offers that I haven't seen from other sources and that was my main reason for asking. I do believe I'll give them a chance.

Hoovb, You forgot to mention Dennison Morey. J&P had two breeders at the time of Gene Boerner. Denny was on the West Coast. He gave us many good roses, including King's Ransom, Proud Land & South Seas. His Temple Bells became the bloodline for today's ground covers.

Rumor was that Boerner would never allow Morey on the property of the NY breeding station.

Bill Warriner was hired to replace Morey right before Boerner's death.

amanda I didn't know about Dennison Morey and very much appreciate your adding to the story!

I was interested in the historical evolution of a 19th century American company of enterprising family farmers to 21st century corporate "brand" selling product from contract growers. Was just googling around to see what I could find. Anyone else know more? Will the OP forgive the thread hijack?

Hello!

Jackson & Perkins is 146 years old and still growing!

We are proud to still serve rose lovers and gardeners across America through our offerings of top-quality roses, plants, garden tools, and gifts for all occasions. Over 2 million roses and other products are shipped to our customers each year.

We still continue to release new rose cultivars from world-renowned hybridizers each year and have some exciting new releases planned for 2019.

We hope you will visit us at www.jacksonandperkins.com and please don't hestitate to reach out to us with any questions. Have a great day!

I have been trying to find Earth Angel available for sale for months now with no luck - sold out everywhere. I did note the other day that she was going to be coming available from J&P after 8/17. I just put in an order for Earth Angel and Savannah. Happy to report back on the result.

Hopefully J&P showing up to make a pitch is an indication their ducks are lining up in a row again. Hopefully. I'll wait until spring and check them out; I don't plant in the fall.

Bought two Perfume Delight from them a couple of months ago. One grew just fine, the other never took off and dried up.

I would think the RRD news would have all the nurseries on their toes. They all are gonna feel the pain when customers hold off buying as the news spreads.

What RRD news ?

I heard RRD was in the Weeks fields......doesn't JP sell Weeks roses? This is something I am wondering about......

Yes. Perhaps J&P will come back and address that issue.

I wouldn’t hold my breath, on that one, Vap! Lisa

I had pretty good experience with them.

Hello again everyone!

Rose rosette disease was discovered on less than 100 rose plants in the Weeks growing fields in spring of 2017. Weeks took and has since taken extreme steps to destroy any diseased plants and to prevent the disease from spreading further. We have been assured by officials at Weeks Roses that this issue is behind them and that there is no current risk of rose rosette in their crops.

Jackson & Perkins guarantees all our roses to be high quality, true to type, shipped properly, and to perform as advertised.

Please don't hesitate to reach out with any further questions you may have! We are always happy to assist.

Best,

J&P

Excuse me, "Jackson & Perkins", but Christian Bedard has already announced the RRD has been in their fields since 2014 and they "may have inadvertently shipped infected material up to this point". That is a full three years earlier than your report above. You, among many others, have been selling Weeks material for the past four seasons. What steps have YOU taken to insure none of the J&P material obtained from Weeks is not "inadvertently infected"?

Thank you for your "guaranty", however I do notice nowhere in it does it state you guaranty your stock to be free from Rose Rosette Disease, which is the whole crux of this matter.

Thanks for that, Kim.

I've been in a unique position for watching the development of both Weeks and J&P. I live about a half-mile from the old J&P "Research Facility" -- which is where Keith Zary, and John Walden, and others worked their magic. What an exciting place that was.

I was also able, on a couple of occasions to visit Weeks old facility, out in Upland. Tom Carruth was -- and is -- a friend.

What I see happening now is a flat tragedy. As far as I'm concerned J&P no longer exists. What remains of Weeks is -- not the company I knew and admired.

For Weeks to deal with that outbreak of a terrible disease and try to cover it up -- and then ship that material out to other growers (to potentially contaminate THEIR stock ... that was appalling.

Now, I"m an Old Rose person -- so there is nothing J&P OR Weeks have to offer now that I would be interested in buying. As for Weeks, it breaks my heart to say this, but . . .

At this point in time, with the water that's floated under the bridge, I wouldn't buy ANY roses from either Weeks or J&P. (ir any of the other companies to which Weeks sent budwood). And if I wanted them that bloody much, well . . . I would have to have a safe containment area where I could grow those roses in self-applied quarantine for four years. Maybe 5.