Star Roses Drift Series 19676 Apricot Rose Drift, 19cm

I ordered 3 roses from 3 companies a few weeks ago. This was the last to arrive, but it still came sooner than anticipated. I have over 700 roses in my garden, and I've ordered from just about every company over the years. The rose that arrived today is in the top 10% of healthy mail order roses. It was packed securely, in a sturdy box delivered by UPS. The rose looks as fresh as one from a florist. It is lush, green, well branched out, and actually has buds on it. It is growing in a 2 gallon, or 8" pot. There is a page of planting and grow tips also. I will be ordering from this company again.

The plant arrived very nicely packaged. The flowers start out yellow and turn white shortly after blooming. The blooms get light pink speckles as they age. I would definitely buy them again.

This review is based on my cousin’s comments since she is the one I brought it for. Actually for her mama (my daddy’s sister). My aunt passed away in May. My aunt’s favorite flowers were yellow roses. My cousin started looking for a rose bush to plant in the cemetery for her mama. The ones she found at local box stores were awful. So I ordered this one in late May. Just going into the summer heat. When she unboxed it there was already a rose bud on it. And the bush has kept new blooms/roses. She planted it by my aunt and waters the bush frequently. She said the blooms are beautiful and the yellow gradients with different shades of yellow from the bottom to the top of the rose bloom. (I didn’t know it would do that when I ordered it.) She said the blooms smell wonderful. My cousin’s daughter fell in love with it and is going to order several for her rose garden. What is so wonderful about this rose is that my cousin said my aunt would have absolutely loved it. So I’m glad I ordered this and it’s going to be a great memorial for my aunt. What is really amazing is that it has withstood the summer heat. The average heat index for that region of AL has been 112-115 degrees daily. And this winter on freezing nights she can place a 5 gallon bucket over it for protection. Later years she can put a sheet over it. It might be small (height) coming out of the box but so far this little beauty has hit all the boxes. I’m sure it’s going to grow into a magnificent rose bush. Actually I’ll be buying more of this brand. After this experience it seems like they will make great gifts for someone who loves to have a flower garden. And even for me. So I’m giving this 5 stars since my cousin raves about how beautiful it is. I can’t wait to see it for myself on my next visit. Actually I’m buying one for my mama since she loved her rose bushes too. My cousin is going to plant it in the cemetery for me.

So, as of now I give this rose 4 stars. If it stays healthy and blooms nicely, it will be 5 stars. I will update my review once it have planted it outside and it starts blooming (or if it dies).I have had it a month now under a grow light in the same little plastic pot it came in. It is doing very well. Leaves and branches look wonderful. It is getting bushy and has tiny blooms forming. It is still a bit chilly to go outside, so I am trying to take care of it as best as possible indoors. We are still having s few nights of freeze warnings even though it is mid May! So, I just didn't want to put it in the ground yet. Hopefully within the next week or less it will be ok to do so. As small as it was when it got here, I just didnt want to take the chance and the way it looked, it needed some tlc.It arrived not looking so great. Looked dried out and dead in some areas. Not much foilage. It had been pruned but there was some that still needed to come off. I did some touch up pruning, gave her some water and fertilizer (miracle grow for roses) and set her under the grow light. In no time she was starting to perk up, show new signs of growth and not look sickly anymore. Now, a month later, she looks great and I cannot wait to see the blooms.I plan to put this rose in a large pot for this season and see how big it gets. I'd like it to have a great root ball before I plant it. From my understanding, this variety can be kept in a pot as well, so it may just stay in one and ill bring it inside over the winter, at least for the first year. My zone should be fine with it outside all winter, but Id love to have it inside and bring me some happiness, plus I can baby it longer and make sure it is healthy, happy, and stable with a great root system before it is exposed to the winter.Anyway, I will update in a month or two. Hopefully all goes well.So, my update is that it is now a year later and this is one of my most favorite little rose bushes. The scent is heavenly and it puts out such nice flowers, constantly. Such a great color of pale coral/ apricot. I left it outside in its big pot all winter and it looks brand new again. I have a couple of small rose bush from this brand in pots by a bistro set outback and I L O V E sitting there and smelling them, but this one in particular smells the best.

Fertilized well the first 2 summers with mild blooms. This is 3 years from planting. We couldn’t be happier.

Great value. Beautiful hardy rose. I live on the Gulf Coast with poor sandy soil. These roses thrive and grow and survive drought and the occasional hard freeze. Constant bloomers and disease resistant. Packed well. When unpacked I leave them in their traveling pots and water them everyday for a week before planting in the garden. I kept one in a container in the porch that is doing well too.