The roses on the front porch have Witches Broom – or rose rosette disease – caused by a virus carried by a wingless mite. It is their death knell. A small plant will be killed by it in a couple of years, large established plants like mine in five or so. The two plants on the side of the porch are infected, where as the one in the front isn’t yet showing evidence of it, but hard to imagine it has (or will) escape.
So what to do for a dead-rose-walking? These pink New Dawn roses are the center of my spring garden, the thing that makes my house not just a little box in a row of other little boxes, but something surprising and charming. I will miss them when they go.
Five years to grow a replacement, so that the inevitable death doesn’t leave a massive gap. Wisteria seems dangerous near the roof, although a native wisteria might do. Climbing hydrangea? Cross vine? Honeysuckle?
Poor rose.
A Gardener's Lot 