Three years without flowers would tell me first that the rose may not be suited to the zone I grow it in. It may require more "chill" hours. Or, it doesn't receive enough light. As for blind growth, I add to what Melissa said (they shade the canes to prevent scald), the plant "knows" what it needs. If it's pushing new growth with healthy foliage and no flowers, it's because it needs the food production. Every green part provides photosynthesis, food. If all the conditions are right for flowering, you get flowers. If not, the plant will do what it requires with the resources until the flowering threshold is met and it produces them. Your cold nights could well be one of the causes. If it's too cold at night, the pollinators may not be active. The reason plants flower is to ovulate and provide opportunities to reproduce. Flowering when there are no bees is a waste of resources. The plant knows when it is best to do what it is designed to do.

Thanks everyone for the thoughtful responses. you have saved Westerland from the Shovel! I’ve decided that come this winter, I’ll move her to a less prominent spot where she can do her thing at her own pace. However, the shovel is still hungry for rose roots… Who’s next? Gertrude Jekyll (pink octopus)? Evelyn (Apricot Octopus)? Gale and ebharvey1, thanks for your responses , it’s good to know that others have experienced the same issues with this particular variety Moses, Cynthia, and MadGallica, thanks for the reminder that climbers take a couple of years. I had thought of Westerland as a big shrub that could be purposed like a climber, but not a real climber, esp since since it bloomed last year. It sure is throwing lanky canes like a climber. I’ll try my best to be patient. Diane and Boncrow…I think you may be on to something with the too much fertilizer suggestion. Lowes had their 1qt Fish Emulsion and Seaweed on clearance for one dollar, and being the overzealous bargain hunter, I bought ALL of them (60+ bottles). I had been watering my roses every week with it, I’ll hold back a bit! (But the worms are sure happy). Halloblondie …I was also concerned Westerland was a cool weather rose, I don’t see much of it down south. However I did read one glowing report from a Gardenweb member in New Orleans, and that encouraged me to plant it in the first place. Trish, thanks for confirming it did well for you in Sydney, too. Moses and Trish, sorry you lost your Westerlands…I’d let you have mine if you were local, but I’m not sure you’d want it! Lily and Diane…that shovel is quite wonderful, isn’t it? It goes through my heavy clay like it was topsoil, and makes my gardening life much easier. I should start a thread on best Rosarian tools!

I just wanted to throw in a similar experience with a "dud" rose. I planted Abraham Darby 3 years ago. It grew and grew. Had 6 foot canes first year. It produced multiple basal breaks. The second year I tried to chop it back. I also tried to peg a few canes. Lot's of vigorous foliage, but no buds or blooms. I thought about shoveling it. But due to the praise on here of this rose, I gave it another year. But I moved it to allow more sprawling space. Well after all that I got 1 bloom out of it. It was on a tiny, thin cane laying on the ground due to the weight of the bloom. Well by then I said that's it. Well when I dug it out it had the thickest, weirdest trunk I've ever seen. Don't know if that had anything to do with it. But I will never wait more than 1 season for a rose to bloom - especially a large potted plant. I'm in the same boat as Moses on patience. But hopefully, your rose will continue to bud & bloom.

Oldrosarian, do blind shoots always remain blind? In your post you say " The other reason is that in a warm climate, when the weather is extra warm in the spring, the soil is rich and the rain helps things along, roses may make too many canes for them to support a flower. So they just don't make a bud. All you have to do is cut the cane back a few inches to the base of a leaf. Then the rose will make a bud." Now,in my garden, in my climate, in the very, very rare years when we are blessed with a rainy spring or better yet, summer, some of my roses just grow fantastically well and get huge, which I actually want them to do (I have a very large garden). But of course I want them to be able to flower well the following year. So, when it's time to prune, could I get away with just cutting back the youngest canes a bit? Or would you recommend a harder pruning?