A definite downside to all this mild and wet weather is that it is the perfect atmosphere for fungus. Magical fairy rings, sinister shaggy inkcaps, delicious ceps and athlete’s foot, all love these conditions. This leaf is showing the signs of an advanced case of the rose growers least favourite spore Diplocarpon rosae, Black Spot. Today I spent a merry half hour in the gentle drizzle removing each infected leaf and picking up every fallen one. This outbreak is unlikely to be catastrophic at this time of year, the rose will be shedding its leaves soon enough. What is important to is to lessen the chance of further infection next year by destroying all the bad stuff. Burn it yourself or let the council deal with it in their supersonic composting systems which reach such temperatures that would melt Hades. Of course we are kidding ourselves that it won’t return at all next year, but we can just hope it won’t be severe enough to stunt growth and disfigure our lovelies too much. However, on close examination, I did think this leaf had a certain beauty, a little like an impressionist painting. Perhaps I had been staring at it too long.
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Off The Edge Gardening 
A rose we inherited at Polegate Cottage, with especially buxom burgundy blooms, looked healthier than a Russian athlete for the whole summer but has now lost all its leaves to black spot. Him Indoors hates roses so I am not sure she (or maybe it’s a he, you can never tell with Russian athletes) will survive in the new scheme of things. In the meantime I am definitely disposing of all the fallen leaves in the special council bins.
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There was not a sign when I was last in this garden a couple of weeks ago, and now covered! Sneaky black spot 😦
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I found a vine weevil hiding behind a picture in our bedroom this weekend. I think we’ve been bugged 😉
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Slightly spooky ………
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Nice to know that the council heaps can melt Hades. I sometimes worry when I put my pernicious weeds out for recycling that I might be causing some terrible outbreak in the council compost. You’ve reassured me.
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Perhaps I am being too trusting…… no I have faith and you should do. 🙂
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the curse of the rose gardener.
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Yes, it seems inevitable. Can you grow roses in California?
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Have this year, cleared an old veg patch and created a rose garden, all was perfect for some weeks, as careful selection of roses had included ‘disease free’ and ‘disease resistant’ roses. I was unable to stick to this rule tho’ as I progressed, and some real beauties labelled ‘moderate disease resistance’ sneaked past me whilst I was still reeling in their heady scent and/or their incredible colour and flower form, end result is rampant black spot, but, after all, I am retired and can take the time to pick off the spotty leaves, and water with fungicide, so all is not lost and they are SO worth the trouble.
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I bet the scent is intoxicating, a real labour of love, sounds wonderful but lots of hard work!
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We have rampant blackspot here too, so as all gardeners we are trying to be vigilant. But they have a nasty habit of creeping up on you, I often have defoliated roses in the summer with gorgeous blooms. And then there is the sawfly problem …don’t get me started….
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They are high maintenance, you have quite a few don’t you? When you see their magnificent blooms though all is forgiven. 🙂
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That leaf has a definite impression of golden hued Klimt. Just back from four days in deepest Cornwall, no internet or broadband, a load of emails to catch up on but my No. 1 job tomorrow – seeing whether my roses are affected. Thank you for the timely advice.
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