Hi neighbor. I've used the Bayer systematic and haven't noticed a moth ball smell, or any smell other that the rose.

Have you used the Bayer on all the roses? If so, then isn't the Bayer.

Rose fragrance is a very ephemeral and touchy thing. The rose has to make volatile chemicals to make that fragrance. Soil and water chemistry do make a difference in what raw materials the rose has to work with. Weather makes a big difference too.

Not least, our own noses are not at all reliable, that's why we have dogs. Our perception of fragrance changes with mood, weather, age, health.

That said I've never noticed that drastic a change as you're describing! I don't use Bayer so I can't say if it's a factor or not, but I would not rule it out entirely. Of course by moving the plants they're in very different soil now too, and possibly different microclimate and sun exposure, all of which will influence their fragrance. And the weather is never the same from one day to the next, let alone one season or one year.

Let us know if they revert! they just might go back to their old sweet ways once they've settled into their new home.

I was just reading about a professional perfume-maker--people who sniff fragrances all day long.

They cleanse their sense of smell by taking a whiff of roasted coffee beans. If you happen to have any around, try that then sniff the rose. That would eliminate your sense of smell as a factor.

My Peace has no fragrance at all, I do not have Graham Thomas though. Sometimes I will sniff one bloom on a bush and it smells heavenly then I sniff another bloom on the same bush and its not as strong as the first one, very peculiar...

i was going to post about the bayer myself!! i have a 'shakespeare 2000' that smells like chemicals to me, almost like a hospital, but not even that good..the only thing different was that the grower used bayer in the potting mix..i hope that's not how this rose is supposed to smell, because it's blooming itself into extinction if it is...really strong bloomer, though! i'm giving it some time to adjust...
one more thing...i have a 'westerland' that smells just like fresh peaches, but only first thing in the morning, even a few hours after daybreak, the scent shifts to a more softer, general fruity/tea rose scent..so i would think that the time of day, as well as sun exposure can have alot to do with how it smells. donna

Thanks all for the responses. I have used the bayer on all of the roses and those are the only two that have the different smell, so maybe it's one of the other factors mentioned. They still look great and most have their great smell so I guess I will be content with little to no black spot in return for moth ball scented roses ;) Happy Gardening

Rob