Celeste, Thanks for a VERY funny story! Actually, I like your ending. I tend to be soft-hearted and full of pity toward roses, including the unsatisfactory ones, and don't think I've ever shovel pruned a rose in my life, just moving the really awful ones to a remote corner of the property. If I were in your shoes, I would probably do my very best to design that part of the garden around 'Dr. Huey', accepting it as part of the garden family. Of course that's only possible if the gardener has a lot of space. I greatly enjoy your posts and garden photos. Melissa P.S. Would it by any chance be possible to train an intensely violet clematis, one of those that are pruned down to knee high at the end of winter, up 'Dr. Huey'? Would that distract attention somewhat from the blackspot?

I just planted her last year and she showed signs of virus as soon as she leafed out, but that disappeared when the warm weather arrived, and she did great all summer into fall. So, it was only visible in spring. This year she is showing the lightning patterns heavily now. I hope they go away again like last year when the warm weather really takes over. To answer your question, yes that's RMV on the right side. Mine shows the signs before first flush, and then went away. So, I am giving her just this year to show me her stuff or she's out. She's a beauty when she does look good though. Shame, I bought her before I knew better about where to go for roses. I bought her at Dutch Gardens. I see they are still selling her too. Probably just as virused, and they don't care. Here's a pic of her in bloom last year (sorry it's so large, photobucket is having trouble resizing it I guess lol):

I've known people who grew Huey, and it's sometimes strange to remember that, in its day, it was highly regarded. I actually rather like those Merlot Wine blooms myself. If you ever chance to visit Las Vegas in April, be sure to drive through the older neighborhoods, where hundreds of Dr. Huey's fountain and tumble through the little gardens. The only real bone I have to pick with the Doctor is that he rusts badly, here in CA, unless sprayed. Perhaps he won't do that for you. Some of the other rootstocks that have been used can be pretty lovely, too. If 'De la Grifferaie' was remontant, EVERYONE would want it. Manetti is gorgeous in the spring, and seems to be a pretty bush when out of bloom. Odorata -- well, it mildews here, but where that's not a problem, it's a gorgeous once-blooming, violet-scented tree-scrambler. Fortuniana is a beautiful rambler-type. It's remontant here in our mild climate. Mine came from an old cemetery, where it surely began life as rootstock. It's as big as a bus, these days. And for us, the prize of all of them is 'Gloire des Rosomanes,' ("Ragged Robin") which IMHO should be in every California garden. Jeri

Test for fragrance in a newly opened blooms and it should be strong, clear and crisp slightly heavy but not over powering - you will have no doubt you are getting a true rose scent ... nobody can confirm it is CG on fragrance but you pretty well eliminate most modern hardy Canadian "red-crimson" repeating roses of that form if it has it. And if it does not have it after testing a few blooms then back to the drawing board. In full "all day sun" my blooms on CG will burn by day 2 - this is July sun I am referring to in Calgary. My three are in full sun and all day. However your pictures and bloom density suggest yours are just fine where it is with all morning sun ... since it rises around 5:00 am in July you must get a good 6 hours in. Sounds though you would like to move it as it is hidden in the hollyhocks. What I like about this rose, besides the fragrance is a reasonable quick repeat but nothing like the speed of Winnipeg Parks - but blooms shatter by day 3 in WP.