It’s that time of year again: the endless browsing and comparing this years bare root selection from our favorite rose suppliers. Some good (actually, most are great), a few perhaps not so great… I thought a comparison of the major suppliers in Australia might be a useful guide to new Aussie rose buyers.
In order to compare apples with apples (or in this case, roses with roses) the price comparison is done using an order of 3 typical bare root roses all in the same price bracket, shipped to Victoria, Australia. At the end of the growing season, I will update these entries to include how long they took to arrive, quality, and how they are doing in the garden. I hope you find this information useful.
Disclaimer:
This page is based on publicly listed prices, shipping information, and my own ordering experience where applicable. Prices and stock change during the year, so always check the supplier’s website for latest prices.
GardenExpress
Location: 470 Monbulk Road, Monbulk, Victoria
Price Check: $29.90 each. $29.40 for 3 or more. Shipping for 3 roses to Victoria, $16.90. Total for 3 roses, $105.10
Range: Over 400 varieties, mostly modern roses.
Website: https://www.gardenexpress.com.au/
Notes: Website is over 20yrs old, and it shows. However, ordering process was easy and secure.
Mr Fothergills
Location: 15B Walker Street, South Windsor NSW 2756, AUSTRALIA
Price Check: $35.99 each. Shipping for 3 roses to Victoria, free. Total for 3 roses, $107.97
Range: Extremely limited selection. Only worth checking if you intend on purchasing some of their other products.
Website: https://www.mrfothergills.com.au/
Notes: Website is a nightmare to use. Also very hard to find what you want, they really need to improve their online experience. I did NOT enjoy my visit (using a laptop, I can only imagine what it’s like on a phone). I’m sure their products are perfectly fine, and if you are looking for seeds or gardening products, then they have a great range. Just the actual website experience is not good.
Knights Roses
Location:Gawler South Australia
Price Check: $23.50 each. Shipping for 3 roses to Victoria, $23.87. Total for 3 roses, $98.37
Range: Big range, but they sell out of the most popular varieties quite quickly.
Website: https://knightsroses.com.au/
Notes: Website is easy to use. Finding roses and making payment is simple and easy. They are very reasonably priced, and they have a good reputation.
Wild Rose Nursery (mainly potted)
*Prices given are for potted varieties, which are always more expensive than bare rooted.
Location: Yarra Valley, Victoria
Price Check: Average of $40 each. Shipping for 3 potted roses to Victoria, $28. Total for 3 roses, $148
Range: A good selection of heritage roses that are extremely hard to find elsewhere.
Website: https://wildrosenursery.com.au
Notes: This is a specialist in old, rare and hard to find varieties. As such, expect the prices to be higher than the big nurseries with high turnover. For Heirloom and Heritage roses like Albas, Teas, Hybrid Perpetual, Noisettes, etc, this is the place to go. High quality hard to find roses.