The mountains of AZ do a pretty good job of preventing blackspot since humidity is below 50% for ten months per year and nighttime temperatures never exceed 70F. Whether powdery mildew strikes depends on the weather during the monsoons in July and August. This year it has been pretty damp. This six inches of rain in July and the three inches so far in August have kept humidity high at night. Fortunately, we have had a few warm weeks with dry weather and daytime temps exceeding 90F. These, coupled with some copper soap solution have allowed us to restrict the damage brought by mildew.
Zepherine Drouhin seems to have suffered most. It's in partial shade because it really needs cool damp soil to root in. Gruss an Zabern has a bad case of powdery mildew. Thor, Lavender Lassie, and one or two other roses have been touched by it. All of these roses get a measure of daytime shade and are near each other. Permanant Wave was the first to get it, but seems to have fully recovered. Otherwise, all of my roses seem to be doing well in terms of health.
In their first years, these roses have bloomed almost continuously all summer: Marchioness of Londonderry, Gemini, Double Delight, Janet Carnochan, Shocking Blue, Moonstone, Golden Celebration, Graham Thomas, L.D. Braithwaite, and Daybreaker. Other roses that have bloomed for much of the season include Crocus Rose, Parade, Ilse Krohn Improved, Rainbow Sorbet, Rise 'n' Shine, Duftzauber 84, Folklore, Berolina, Toscana Vigorosa, Roxy, Water Lily, Ascot, Europeana, Kimono, City of Leeds, Sexy Rexy, Permanent Wave and Ainsley Dickson.
A few roses are making their second flush of blooms: Abe Darby, Tess of the d'Ubervilles, Scarlet Knight, Caldwell Pink, Scentsational, Casino, Olympiad, Helmut Schmidt, Cherry Parfait, Young Lycidas, Yolande d' Aragon, Valencia, Old Port, and Winter Sunset.
Paradise Found, Grand Dame, and Leanne Rimes all had one good flush this year, but might possibly have another this fall. Don Juan waited for the monsoon, then produced five or six good blooms along with Lili Marlene's two. Both Camelots have bloomed twice.
Roses that have not bloomed at all in their first or second years: Chevy Chase, Orfeo, Antike 89, Thor, Gruss an Zabern, Heirloom Charles de Mills, Nuits de Young, and Great Western. For first year roses - especially those that bloom once a year - my guess is that they arrived after their bloom season of the year. Chevy Chase and Orfeo have been building up from tiny bands - being less than 2 ft tall last spring and more than 6 ft tall at the end of this season. The hope is that once they reach full stature they will start blooming. Antike 89 is growing more slowly. By the end of its second summer here, it looks like it might reach knee-height and might actually produce one flower. Climbing Allgold from VG is in its third season. It has been covered with lovely glossy foliage all season long, but it has put out no new cane growth or flowers in three years and is not yet waist-high. Perfect Moment, also in its first year, has had none.
Rosanna has been a little shy with flowers in it's first year. So has Oranges and Lemons. Again, maybe by next year these roses will reach full stature and begin to bloom. Chanelle, Charles de Gaulle, Belle Epoque, Chic, All Atwitter, Jubilee Celebration, Gingersnap, and Francis Dubreuil have bloomed, but they have been a little spare with their blooms. Titian and Butterscotch (Warriner) have been building up very slowly, producing just the occasional blossom. Mrs Oakley Fisher keeps looking healthy, growing slowly, and producing but a flower a year. The Generous Gardener had twice that last year, but has decided to put up two head-high canes this summer and has eschewed blooming for the duration. Most of these have had some issue that has restricted their growth such as poor soil, root competition or shading. Some, though, arrived undeveloped and/or just seem to be not very vigorous here.
