Is this a bad time to buy roses?

[QueenOfAllBiscuitsandMuffins]

It's my parents ruby wedding anniversary next week and my mother is a very keen/good gardener. I have discovered there is a ruby anniversary rose which seems like a good present, however I know nothing about roses. Is there a reputable company to buy them from? Is this a bad time to try and buy a rose bush for a garden?

Any advice gratefully received, please talk to me as if I was a gardening dunce. Which I am.

www.davidaustinroses.com/english/showrose.asp?showr=1169

Good time to buy roses! Apparently they are best planted about now. They arrive looking like sticks in a 'bare root' form and one plants them now and they spring into life in the new year!

A friend of mine bought red roses and planted them in a group which looked stunning and very romantic. David Austen has lots of red/deep red roses and its worth looking through to see what might suit your parents garden. There are scented sorts and climbing sorts and repeat flowering sorts and so on. I think its nice to go for one with a Royal Horticultural Society 'Award of Garden Merit'. They also have a lovely catalogue which they will post free to your mother if you order it online.
Here is the RHS advice on planting roses
apps.rhs.org.uk/advicesearch/profile.aspx?pid=191

Perfect time of year for planting roses! Definitely buy bare root instead of pot grown. They settle much better.

Thank you for your advice. Much appreciated.

Sorry can I add another stupid question. David Austin look a tad on the expensive side but is the quality good? I don't want to buy her a present that then dies, so don't mind paying extra for peace of mind (insofar as you can mitigate for a flower behaving itself!)

David Austin are fine. I once had a rose from them which died and they sent me a replacement free of charge with no quibbles- it was the Generous Gardener rose and I planted it 'bare root ' in the late Autumn and it didn't spring into life the following spring so they sent me another.

David Austin are top quality.

David Austin roses are, in my experience, excellent quality and very reliable.