Back story: Michigan Bulb sent me a Rose infected and CONFIRMED in writing by lab tests from Penn State University. Now over 5 Years if Rose growing in the FRONT of my house has to be destroyed due to their diseased rose, and I am still crying over it writing this story.

I live in central New York, and I have been a Gardner since I was little, always helping my neighbor who was a Master Gardner. Having my own house for 7 years now, I relish the opportunity to landscape to my hearts content. So when I thought I found the perfect rose to fill a pace vacant for 3 years, in a Michigan Bulb catalog, I was thrilled. Now I have over 12 varieties of roses in my back yard, and before the Michigan bulb Blue Girl rose 4 in the front of the house. For over 3 years, the front roses (AND the back) have been healthy and thriving plants. I have pictures starting in 2006 to show these plants were there and healthy long before the Michigan Bulb Purchase.

Timeline:

4/21/2009 - Rose arrived and goes into the ground the same (I know the day because my 3 year old helped me and I snapped a picture of her)

6/10/09 - I notice signs of the Michigan Bulb rose showing bright red canes, rubbery thorns. I dismiss this since it is a new rose and maybe has these growth traits.

6/29/09 - I notice one of my existing roses setting off a HUGE tall cane, with stubby leaves, and a million thorns

7/20/09 - After reading many books and researching I think this is Rose Rosette. I research Penn State will do Plant testing. I overnight samples, photograph plants.

I also begin Email correspondence with various customer service agents and "master gardners" (I highly doubt they are by their inability to know basic rose terminology)

7/30/2009 - Get results in the mail from the University, confirmed by Penn State my worst fear is correct.

8/24/2009 - Consult with several Master GardenersÂ, and learn the odds of the disease being in the area 'naturally' infecting the new rose FIRST just weeks after planting (since it showed advanced signs of the disease just weeks after being planted)and no other rose that has been planted and thriving in the same locations for years are EXTREMELY unlikely.

10/21/2009 - I get a letter telling me, basically I can't prove their rose diseased my yard, even though all the logical and lab results point out they ARE at fault.

Results - I now have to remove all my front roses, and pray it hasn't spread to my dozens of roses in the back yard. GardnerÂs, I can't tell you how excited I was to find a unique rose to put in a place I had set aside for years, knowing I will know the rose when I see it (FYI this location is the prime spot you see when you walk onto my front porch) I KNOW my neighbors do NOT have ROSES, I KNOW no roses have showed signs of this disease in the past 3 years out front, not until the blue girl rose from Michigan Bulb was planted. This is my front yard, and all those years of rose tending, trimming (including my prize 4+ ft tall 3+ ft wide Yellow Hybrid, my PRIZED rose) all has to be burned. The coldness of Michigan Bulb astonished me; I have used this company for so many years. Upon lawyer consults, I learned while I am pretty much guaranteed to win any case due to the portfolio of pictures, emails, and lab results I have compiled to make my case, the cost of taking them to court will be in the tens of thousands. How can ANYONE afford that? My pathetic recourse was to take them up on their "lifetime guarantee" and get a refund for every plant I ever bought. They sent the checks, and it didnÂt even cover the lawyer consults. I haven't cashed them. If anyone out there can find a way to get these people to pay to AT LEAST remove the diseased roses they are responsible for and put new dirt in so the front of my home can have roses again. I don't know what this country has come too, if a company can sell you DISEASED AND DISEASE SPREADING PLANTS and GET AWAY WITH IT!! I have MANY pictures to document this story, and many more if anyone wants to see more.

Please see some pictures : http://share.shutterfly.com/action/welcome?sid=0Abs2bhi0ZMmTjQ