Can't help you with the Japanese Beetles, but don't sweat the aphids. Just lightly run your fingers along the bud--they will fall off or get squished (they are "soft"). And in about a week or so, the good bugs will show up and finish off the aphids--that is, if you haven't been spraying insecticides. If you have, you will have to keep on manually eliminating the aphids for a while.

Some people say a strong spray from the hose will knock off the aphids--never worked very well for me.

Don't let your rose dry out, but don't drown it either. Sufficient water in this hot weather is what it needs to grow stronger. In about a month, you will see it pushing out new growth and know it has started to settle in and form new roots.

When that rose blooms, you will forget all these frustrations--promise!

Kate

Roses are a lot of work, but I think they are well worth it. They're the stars of the garden! I use an all-purpose organic (doesn't harm kids/pets) rose spray from Gardens Alive (they're on the web). The spray does a great job of controlling aphids and most other pests. It also helps control diseases. I spray in the evening once a week. No spray helps with Japanese beetles. You've got to treat your lawn in the fall and spring to kill the nymphs (larvae) in the soil. The Japanese beetle traps just seem to attract more beetles, so I don't use them. I used to go around with an old coffee can filled with soapy water, and I would knock the beetles into the can. I've given up on that! Life's too short! I just treat the lawn. Good luck with your roses.

Besides the good advice you get here, local rose aficionados will know about your particular growing conditions.

It looks like you live in Wisconsin, and there are at least five rose gardening clubs in that state. I'll put a link below:

Here is a link that might be useful: North Central District rose clubs

I think there are a couple of philosophies about growing roses. I realize this may be a vast oversimplification, and if anyone feels the need to attack me for suggesting it, I'm ready for your harsh words.

You'll have to decide for yourself what you want. The types of roses you want to grow may limit your options on rose care as well.

Philosophy One (my personal preference): Grow roses without any type of chemical support. This involves chosing ONLY those roses that do well in your climate with your gardening practices. The selection of roses that meet this will be significantly smaller.

Philosphy Two: Grow roses using chemical support. This type of rose growing will allow you to grow many more varieties of roses, but it will also involve a significant investment of time and money to keep up with a spray program.

Of course there are infinite numbers of variations between these two philosophies.

Robert

Thanks for all the posts. The aphids seem to be under control and I have a lot of new growth on all 3 rose bushes. I see other bugs on them, but I think they are eating the bugs. Roses are pretty, aren't they? It does make you forget the problems.

I got a hybrid tea that was listed as disease resistent - aromatherapy - and 2 floribunda - lovestruck. The tea is the only one with beetles. I found a few more today, but I've been treating it by dumping them in soapy water. Hopefully this works. I'll look into treating my lawn this fall. It definitely hasn't gotten anywhere close to the point that people mention with tons of damage in a short time.

I have a honeysuckle vine close to the roses that hummers frequent and butterfly host plants nearby, so I'm trying my hardest to do rose gardening without lots of chemicals - particularly insecticides. I've tried to make sure I'm successful by completely amending the bed about 24 inches down earlier this year and putting the garden in full sun - from early morning to late day. I'm trying to be more in philosophy 1 with little chemical support and I'll look into joining a rose group in my area to ensure I pick the right rose bushes for my remaining selections.

I am so happy that you are trying the least chemicals possible... I worry so much whenever a new rose gardener comes that they will pick up the worst insecticide possible which is Sevin (it destroys bee colonies) and am so happy that you are wanting to keep your hummers and bees safe.

You made an excellent choice in choosing a very easy to grow, vigorous hybrid tea Aromatherapy... And it's a continual bloomer! that's what I am really liking about it. I have this rose too. It's actually much more insect-resistant than a lot of hybrid teas because its leaves are very leathery. The aphids hate her and the thrips can't stand the intense color of her mature blooms. But yes, JBs are the one insect which doesn't really "care" about leathery foliage, but I am sure if it was some other hybrid tea it could possibly have been eaten alive by the JBs. Karl Bapst also mentioned if there is a worst case scenario too with the beetles, he will wrap tulle or netting around the rosebush. Someone also mentioned that milky spore, the organics grub killer, will also destroy JB larvae as well but won't hurt the bees.

That full sun garden of yours will be amazing and I can't wait to see photos as your garden develops and blossoms... Had I had Kirstenflower's permission I would have loved to have included her gorgeous no-spray bee heaven...It's got everything to dream of in terms of layout and roses. I wish I had seen her garden sooner... I would have selected more unified color clusterings, and chosen the taller lavender, etc.

Here is my Aromatherapy... This is its first growing year...
It would have been at least 5'6" but I keep hacking and slashing it down every time so that it will have an even shape...It's 4'7" now and is due for another hacking once the blooms are finished.

No beetles today! I'll just remain vigilant at this point with the soapy water.

serenasyh - Your roses are beautiful. I'm happy I got this one.

My garden is definitely a work in progress. I planted my first area with blue and white delphiniums, the 3 rose bushes, and some artemisia. I have to figure out how to move the artemisia though as I found a nice catmint to add in as well. I've added some pictures:
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Maybe move the artemisia up and put the catmint here:
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Aromatheraphy:
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Lovestruck:
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Rest of fence (butterfly/hummingbird plants) - Just added a month or so ago:
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Back of fence (added about a month ago):
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As I read I find more and more plants I would like to try. I still have about 4' x 20' to the left of the newly planted roses for more. We are planning on building an arbor over a walkway at the end of the fence and planting wisteria and a climber, then additional bushes.

So many choices, I just hope the beetles stay at bay.

Techigirl, you're off to a good start. Nice beds and good eye. Zone 5 has many challenges but I have been doing roses for about 20 years and find with perserverance and following the forums advice and suggestions I can grow just about any rose.

Yes, looks very nice so far!

JIM

You selection of rose varieties will not be as limited as you think but, your selection of the classes of roses you grow will be. More shrub types and fewer hybrid teas and other less hardy types. I grow some 400 roses of almost 300 varieties in zone 5a at the south end of of Lake Michigan in NW Indiana. You're probably in zone 4 but your growing conditions aren't that much different than mine. After growing hybrid teas and floribundas for 15 years I had to change what I grew due to a physical disability from a stroke. Before the change, I knew I had to cover my roses each winter and went to great pains to protect them.
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I had very few losses each winter but did a lot of work. Now I don't grow many hybrid teas but those I have are planted to make them as hardy as possible. I grow lots of Canadian Explorers, Rugosas, and hardy shrub varieties, and do no winter protection or insect spraying. I've learned to live with insect damage including that caused by Japanese beetles. My yard is filled with flowers all summer and I win my share of blue ribbons and trophys at our annual rose show.
You can easily grow great roses in your area, you just have to do it within the limits imposed on you by Mom Nature and you have to learn to work with Her.
If you live close to Kenosha, visit steve Singer at Wisconsin Roses. He'll give you some tips.
E-mail me for the names of hardy roses you can grow.

Here is a link that might be useful: Wisconsin Roses

Karl is a wonderful expert, and when I started roses, I pestered him tons!

Great start, techigirl!...I especially like the view angle with the hummingbird feeder...The Artemisia is looking good and had it not been for your thread, just looking at your rose pics I would have thought they were healthy and flourishing and not what you described as "not going well" tee-hee...The foliage looks strong and healthy, at least to my eyes so cheers! you're doing Super well! It's normal for roses to get quite a few holes especially when you first start out, but gradually fantastic creatures like uh, spideys will nest at the base of your rose and catch all the aphids... Spideys love bushy, full foliage which your roses seem to have because it gives them nice shadows to creep out and grab those pesty insects.

When I first tried to get bees into my garden I did tons of whoppers... Silly me had to battle with a pre-existing jungle mess of gladiolus when I planted them all! in a row. LOL! Costco was selling like 40 gladiolus' and I planted AAAAAALLL of them...And you canÂt teach a "loopy" to learn new tricks, she will just repeat the same boo-boos, lol! Well, I started planting herbs in my efforts to attract bees--by 2s (2 lavender here, 2 lavender there, 2 geraniums here, ugggggh! You get the idea)which is not! what one is supposed to do...It wasn't until I saw Boxofrox's gorgeous gardens that something started to click in that clouded brain of mine...Then I saw Kristinflower's garden too which is the perfect companion rose planting...

Here is some of Boxofrox's beautiful gardens, but this time with his permission/blessings...Kristin I hope she won't be furious when I snagged her photo in a different thread, but here I'll try to have a bit more self-control and just send you her link.

Boxofrox: ideas on clusteringÂ
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What Boxofrox did to hide a chain link fence, draping roses also complements the spiraling of the gates.
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More clustering concepts from Boxofrox
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Finally, here is Kristin_flowrÂs link:
Kristin_flowrÂs bee sanctuary

I really like the SHHH ROSES SLEEPING on your protection! That is cute. I'll look into more shrubs and contacting Steve at WI Roses, that isn't far from my house. I don't mind having to overwinter some roses, but I'll take things slow and probably lean more towards those that will more easily handle winters. It is just the more fragile ones are what seem to be stuck in my heart at this point. Good news is there is a rose expedition this weekend near my house, so hopefully I can go and learn and see a lot.

Those pictures are beautiful! I'm trying to read so much to avoid mistakes, but I know I'll make some. The honeysuckle vines have been in for almost 3 years and are full of spiders and many types of bees. I either choose 1, 3, or 5 when buying plants lately. I did the 2s in my front yard (hehe) around a tree and it looks a little funny, so I'm trying to change it up. after looking at these pics, I'll definitely be extending out parts along the fence next year, I think the curves as borders look really nice, plus it will be more space for more plants. It is so much work amending beds though that I can take on only so much each year. This year, I removed 2 truckloads of clay and ditch lily laden soil and added 1 load of compost and 3 truckloads of loam/compost mixture. Drainage is really good though.

Another thing to consider;
Living in Wisconsin, with its cold winters, snow, and winter dieback, you'll not have as tall or as big a bush as those in even slightly warmer growing zones. You will have all the pests and diseases though. You'll get blooms later and your bushes will go dormant sooner. Your expectations should be lower or you'll go nuts and spend a lot of money attempting to grow roses like they do in warmer zones.
Eventually, you learn what to expect and accept the results.
I've made peace with what I have and enjoy them immensely. During the dormant periods, I plan for and look forward to the next growing season. To stretch ny growing season, I have an unheated hobby greenhouse. In it I can enjoy potted growing and blooming roses a month before those planted outside leaf out and bloom. I can tinker with rooting cuttings with my misting table and grow hardy own root shrub varieties. Except for the coldest periods, on sunny days I can work in my greenhouse in comfortable conditions.
Accept that you'll not be an expert rose grower until you gain a lot of knowledge through trial and error. You'll make a lot of mistakes as you attempt things suggested by others.
You'll find not all things work the same for everyone. Micro climates, soil types and conditions, and other variables can make a big difference in your results as compared to others.
Eventually it'll all come together but maybe not as you originally planned.
Getting to that point is part of the fun!