The other day I posted about shopping from the Silvercreek Nursery Catalog for fruit and specialty trees. I also have been looking at the Hortico Nursery site. I have over the years occasionally driven past it’s wholesale location in Waterdown Ontario, and never stopped in.

Last year when I was dreaming about Hydrangeas and Explorer Roses, I found some of the plants that I wanted on the Hortico Online site. Hortico offers an immense – searchable selection of plants, trees and shrubs online. (Almost too much!).

It was a little hard to figure out what to order at first, and then I went back to my shopping list and put in the names of the 2 Explorer Roses that I have been missing. I have not seen them in the local garden centres, as they are not the latest thing.

My Explorer Roses were lovely, brambly bright pink and so so hardy.

William Baffin, is bright medium pink with a yellow centre – hardy to Zone 2 if you can believe that. At Hortico, it is only available in pots – so they will tell us the shipping cost when the time comes – That seems a little vague, but this rose is worth it to me! It grows to more than 10 feet in height, blooms all at once, and may rebloom a little bit later in the season and then in the fall – but it’s awesome. It’s terribly prickly and great for discouraging grumpy neighbours from coming through a floral hedge.

John Cabot is my other favourite Explorer Rose. It is also a deep pink, prickly and grows quite tall – and again is hardy to Zone 2.

Hortico’s catalogs can be ordered for a fee or Downloaded.

You can order online with a credit card like most other online stores, but Hortico will actually take orders by phone or mail – you can even mail a cheque or money order with a printed order form. Hortico ships bare root and potted plants – to Canada and the United States.

From Hortico’s website:

Roses	We grow and offer more than 3000 varieties. Our roses have received international acclaim from many satisfied customers, including rose judges and rose society officials.
Perennials	We have over 1000 varieties of perennial, which include traditional and new varieties. We have a sizable list of iris, hostas, ferns, bog plants and ornamental grasses, many available in 4″ pots.
Trees & Shrubs	We have a very large selection of flowering trees and shrubs, evergreens and fruit trees available bareroot or potted depending on the season. This includes a full range of liners, rooted cuttings, grafts, transplants and whips in common and hard to find varieties. The list also contains many unusual fruit and woody vines.
Design Services	We can assist you in designing your garden whether it be plant selection, layout, or even identifying plants from pictures.
Business Consultation	Hortico offers consultation in many areas of the horticultural industry.
Special Services	Hortico also offers Custom Rose Growing, Custom Rose Naming, and Speaking Engagements.

• Packing expenses are at cost, F.O.B. Waterdown.
• For large shipments we deliver at cost to many areas of Canada and the USA by refrigerated truck so stock will arrive in excellent condition.
• Claims for damage or loss of stock in shipping should be made with the carrier.
• All claims must be made within 10 days after receipt of shipment.
• With our new temperature and moisture-controlled warehouse we can now ship all year providing our temperatures are above freezing.
• We guarantee our plants to leave in excellent condition, but once they are in the hands of a carrier, they are beyond our control.
• During winter months, exact times for shipping are at our discretion, due to weather conditions.
• Small shipments to the USA and Europe are supplied with complete documentation at cost.
• USA orders are quoted in US dollars and are to be paid in US funds. This helps to cover the extra cost of inspection and shipping across the border. Shipping and handling rates are given on the order form. (Please see our FAQ for further explanation)
• We prefer to ship small orders by UPS or first class/air mail and large orders with our refrigerated truck.
• Insurance is available on request.

I’m excited to have Explorer Roses again. They are not my delicate Tea Roses, but they are hardy and showy when in bloom. Explorer Roses were developed by Agriculture Canada in the 1960s to be hardy to the Canadian Winters. They were named after the explorers of Canada – so the names of the roses are familiar to Canadians. I am also fond of Martin Frobisher – a white blooming large shrub, and the smaller pink reblooming Henry Hudson. Although I now live in a zone 5/6, I was not happy with the roses that I planted in my new garden this year. I don’t have a lot of room for roses in my new garden, so I will order what I love.