Cvfwal, if it was me and I had bought the rose in memory of my mother I would ditch the dying rose and invest in a healthy specimen. The rose is there to make you think of your Mom. I would want it to look nice if it was me.

Personally I have learned my lesson about buying body bag roses with wax on them. They generally are not a good way to buy roses has been my experience. I purchased two bareroot roses from Dutch Gardens this year and they surprised me by coming in with tons of wax on them. I carefully removed as much of the wax as possible and put them to soak for a couple of days before planting them into their containers to break dormancy. Gentle Giant broke dormancy vigorously and has had it's first flush and I have already planted it in a garden spot because of it's excellent progress.
The other bush, a Barbra Streisand, is still not breaking dormancy some 12 weeks from the time I received it but the canes are still green and alive so I won't give up on it until it completely dies. I was actually able to remove more wax from BS than I was for the GG plant but BS is still struggling whereas GG has really taken off growing and blooming quite beautifully.
I try to avoid waxed roses any way that I can.
John

In regard to the question, I would keep trying. As roses mature they tend to get better. However, you can lose roses in colder climates when a rose overwinters and is not healthy. In Zone 7 you might keep nursing for several years before it drops dead or comes alive. I acutally have had a few struggle for two years and then do very well.

I also agree with the analysis that if you want a rose to memorialize someone important in your life, buy a quality specimen that will perform from the start.

If you get a good performing rose from Wal*Mart it is pure luck, especially if it is out of a bag. Earl May sold bagged roses 25 years ago, but they were good quality. Wal*Mart has never in my experience sold a consistently good quality bagged rose. They sell cheap roses. If you put them in a pot and grow them in a greenhouse several weeks they might perform well. But just putting them out in the yard will not cut it for many of their bagged roses.

I am not sure the wax has much to do with it, because almost every 'waxed' rose I bought this year is doing really, really well, including a Barbra Streisand from Dutch Gardens, just like jont1.

That said I still would remove manually all the wax I could without damaging the rose.

I also 'third' the sentiment that if the rose is a thing of rememberance, replacing it with a known healthy one is important.

In my experience, "Peace" is a weak rose that gets blackspot before any other bush and tends to die a prolonged, ugly death. It really dislikes hot humid weather. You would do well to find and buy a big healthy bush to replace it.
Waiting for roses to "get better" always makes me remember a football coach I knew who fired a weak assistant, saying "I'm not in the 'getting better' business".

My Peace was a bareroot boxed rose from Lowe's. I bought a Chicago Peace at the same time, which has done much better. So far, my Peace has grown but the blooms are nondescript and pale yellow, with none of the markings that I expected. I guess time will tell.

I've seen blooms from plants of 'Peace' that were a "nine days wonder,"
But ALL of the impressive blooms of 'Peace' I've seen came from Exhibitor's
Gardens, and were sprayed and pushed to a fare-thee-well.
Most I've seen struggled with mildew and rust.
BUT that is in Southern California -- so maybe it's healthier in other climates.

If I was set on growing 'Peace,' I would check most of the good mail-order nurseries
and find the healthiest specimen available.
Preferably Virus-Indexed.

Jeri

Peace got BS and defoliated the first year we had it--after two really good bloom cycles. But, since I've been exhibiting roses it does really well--a nice healthy bush that has never shown any signs of a virus in five years.

I might add that is big an healthy right now--but IIRC it was a little slow recovering after the first winter.

i think vintage sells a vid, virus indexed peace. Yes they do, it is on sale for $9.95.

Here is a link that might be useful: vintage peace

IF I were going to try to grow 'Peace,' that would be my choice.

Jeri

Peace is susceptible to blackspot, but I tend to agree with thos posters who spray regularly. It is a great rose when in the care of someone who is acquainted with Peace and knows when and what to spray. When I was a fledgling at this, my Peace defoliated. When I knew what I was doing, it was an almost incredible rose bush growing to great height, health and with repeat blooms.

So please tell the fledglings what to do. What made the difference, was it the spraying?

I think Peace is a classic rose which belongs in every rose garden. It is truly different from any other rose I grow. It almost reminds me of an OGR in habit and bloom form. The size and substance of the blooms makes them eye-catching even when the colors are not their brightest.

Peace was difficult as a youngster, but around year 3 became quite large. The plant tends to be short and stocky with thick canes and many blooms. It is perfectly hardy here but does need to be sprayed for black spot.

My specimen came from Jackson and Perkins six years ago. It appears virus free.

The color may be yellow or cream and really varies from flush to flush. There is always a purple-red margin.

{{gwi:280819}}

{{gwi:220196}}

In my garden, Peace is a fuss budget. She goes weeks without showing any growth. She'll defoliate if unsprayed. She doesn't have much fragrance.

And then...all of the sudden there is a HUGE cane coming up withabout four or five new buds, and suddenly there are these glorious flowers unfurling. When this rose is on, there is nothing prettier.

In my climate, I spray it with Bayer advanced disease control every week, and it stays clean. A classic I would not be without.

Here's the scoop on spraying.

I spray weekly. The spray has to be early enough in the day that it will dry before dew sets at night. Thus, I can spray at 6 p.m. in the summer when I get off work if need be.

Get at least a one gallon or two gallon sprayer with wand. Don't use an old Windex bottle as the coverage is not adequate. Spray with goal of getting every leaf, and particularly try to get under the bottom leaves where blackspot starts.

I try to spray using Ortho's product formerly known as Funginex. I also use a second type of fungicide either in combination with Funginex or in the alternate weeks. Now that I have a peach tree I will alternate captan which is part of the fruit tree spray. In early spring Daconil is alternated because it is good for the early spring fungal problems. In the summer heat Daconil will stress roses.

I include in each spray a foliar feed, including 1 tbsp per gal. Miracid or Miracle Gro, and 1 tbsp per gal. fish emulsion.

I also have Pentathlon and Immunox on the shelf just in case. Pentathlon is used just in case a spotted leaf should show up and then I try to innoculate the plant with repeat sprays as per directions. And Immunox I will use for powdery mildew roses, occasionally.

Of course regular watering is needed and if it is dry, water the day before you spray.

And incidentally I do try to be environmentally friendly by spreading out the spray applications up to 10 days or so when it has been dry.

Thanks to all who have posted responses here! It is greatly appreciated. I spray weekly with Ortho. It has kept the blackspot under control. I water weekly, sometimes more often if it is especially dry. I fertilize weekly alternating Miracle Grown & Fish Emulsion. I hope to one day exhibit some of my roses. My garden is farily new (most planted last year)except for one Pink rose that was in the ground when we moved here in 2006.

Here is a link that might be useful: My Rose Blog