near perfect semi circles means leaf-cutter bees. They use the circles to line their nests. Leaf-cutter bees are an important pollinator for food crops. Give your rose a good watering, and a little fertilizer, if it has not had any fertilizer lately, and it will bounce back. And don't forget the water. In southern California, water = fertilizer for roses.

Though your chewed bits look more like rose slugs, on second look. They will not kill the rose, though they are a cosmetic annoyance. The rose looks thirsty and sunburnt--is it getting enough water?

Thank you for replies. My watering schedule has been same as in previous years but I will increase it. But this has been a beastly dry hot summer in Pasadena. They were due a new dose of fertilizer tomorrow.

I'd love a closer look, but another possibility for the culprit here is
GRASSHOPPERS.

Rose Slugs should be about gone now, with the temperatures rising as they are,
but grasshoppers do just FINE in hot weather.

I second Hoov's query about water.
Some roses really are thirsty, and this plant does look like it needs more to drink.

Jeri

Yes I agree it could be grasshoppers. The roseslugs are still hard at work here.

Also I can't tell if your soil is mulched around the rose. A good layer of organic mulch will do several things:

--it cools the soil off, making the rose roots happier
--it provides nutrients and soil tilth as the mulch slowly decomposes
--it helps the soil retain moisture so the rose won't get so thirsty between waterings.

Just make sure the mulch is a few inches away from the base of the plant, to prevent a situation that can encourage disease.

The leaf margins look suspicious, but I can't tell from your very small image exactly what is going on.

When you say they are due for fertilizer tomorrow...can you tell us how much fertilizer they have been getting? It's not a good idea to fertilize a stressed rose, and the shot you posted shows a stressed rose. Please tell us how much and by what means your are watering. And if you can post a shot that is larger or shows more of the plant, it would be helpful.

My guess, and that's all it is, from your shot, is that your rose has had too much fertilizer and not enough water.The leaf margins are showing salt or boron damage. When there is too much fertilizer in the soil, the rose is water-starved. It tries to exuded excess salts through organs on the leaf margins. Excess salts kill the organs, giving the margins a scalloped look. Google guttation leaf margin for a complete explanation of the process.

Thank you all for responses!

Watering schedule has been once a day at 7am for 10 minutes. I am going to increase that to 16 minutes tomorrow.

I will also add mulch.

As for fertilizing, I use one capful of Bayer Advanced 2-in-1 Systemic Rose & Flower Care applied every 6 weeks (next application scheduled for tomorrow but will hold off for a few days).

I will try posting another picture of leaves, a little blurry:

Here is a link that might be useful:

Fuller rose weevil (sometimes called beetle) damage seems the most likely. I think they might feed at night, but I know little about the pest. You might take a flashlight and see if you find them after dark.

Here is a link that might be useful: Fuller rose beetle damage

Though, Bayer-Two-In-One should kill off anything that chews. That stuff is pretty lethal. No, I take that back, not pretty lethal, very lethal. When you finish off that bottle, switch to the Three-In-One if you must, it's safer.

Have you stuck your finger around the soil and seen how actually dry it is? Is the water really penetrating the soil? How far down is it moist? Or is it soggy? The finger test is really the only way to know for sure.

I'd suggested watering longer/deeper less frequently. Watering daily keeps the root on top, where they get hotter and can dry out. If you are hand watering, make a well around your rose about 18" across and three inches deep. Fill the well once, let it absorb and fill again. But do this no more than every 4 days, even in the heat. If you are on a drip, water about 45 minutes no more than every 3rd day. If you are using a sprinkler, don't.

Thanks again. I'm on the way to getting my R.D. degree!

I have been growing roses (hey, this is Pasadena CA) for ~5 years and have had remarkable, "glorious" success -- until this year! I first registered and used Rose Forum in 2003 and have rarely returned until now.

(Note: I am in NO Way connected with Pasadena's Tournament of Roses Association. I watch the parade on local tv (no commercial interruptions) and occasionally go to Rose Bowl -- USC should NOT have lost to Texas!)

So I have used a sprinkler system (with approximately same schedule) and Bayer's Rose Systemic.

Good doctor that I was, I did not notice Bayer's Rose Systemic 3-in-1 vs 2-in-1. I have always used the granules but now see they do not manufacture them in the 3-in-1 concentration. I will hold off the scheduled application for now and concentrate on watering and mulch.

The soil around my bushes has been VERY dry. This morning right after watering the soil was moist to depth of my forefinger (~2.5 inches), but not at all soggy. It has been unusually hot in Los Angeles area this summer (I'm not in fire area).

This pic show how this particular bush bloomed in 2007:

Here is a link that might be useful:

Is the damage near the ground? Could it be rabbits?
You are using a product every 6 weeks that I am not familiar with, but are you sure you need it? Does it contain an insecticide? There are many threads on the Forums about the advantages and disadvantages of using various products.

Welcome to the Forums.

Sammy

Wayne, I think Cat'sRose makes a good suggestion.

To give you an example, the roses in the Heritage Rose Garden of the Sacramento City Cemetery
are watered one x/week, deeply.
They're in sandy soil, and Sacramento is hotter than Pasadena.
(I grew up in the San Gabriel Valley.)

I would hold lose the Bayer.
Mulch deeply.
Water deeply, as per Cats suggestion.

And remember that roses will naturally taper off blooming in summer heat.

Jeri

Bayer's Rose Systemic product is described here: http://www.bayeradvanced.com/product/2-in-1-Systemic-Rose-Flower-Care/granules.html
I am holding off using it for now.

Damage is both near ground and higher on the plants. No rabbits in area that I know of.

I think Cat'sRose' suggestion is a good one and feasible.

I bought those 2 in 1 granules when I first started growing roses. The insecticide in them is rather nasty and will kill more than just the bad insects that eat roses. I stopped using it as I didn't want to worry about hurting my earthworms or bees. I now use RoseTone for a fertilizer and I don't use any insecticides. Most insects can be controlled through predators and you don't have to do anything.

I agree that longer and deeper watering will help your roses more than anything else. As long as your roses stay hydrated they should be able to outgrow any insect damage.