Forgot to mention, I am in Zone 6.

Which State? Has it been hot?

Pennsylvania, and yes, it's been hot, upper 80's. We have been getting a lot of rain, too. In between rain storms, when it's hot and dry, I made sure I watered the rose.

This is too bad. It sounds like you are doing the right things. I would really like the soil kept moist in those temps. Heat, too much water or too little can be harmful. Transplanting is a risk. People do write of occasional failures even if they have been careful. You may have to assess soil moisture, do your best and see what happens.

Sometimes alfalfa spread around a plant that appears in distress has helped. I think that it may improve immunity. On a positive note your canes still appear to be green. It does not yet appear to be a goner.

Cath

cathz6, that's very interesting about the alfalfa! Have you tried it with good results?

I have an apple tree that was attacked by voles and nearly died. That made it susceptible to a disease it contracted from the neighbor's wild cherry tree. The cherry tree had had oozing running sap for decades (without any attention from successive owners), finally some of my fruit trees caught it. When I spread alfalfa around the apple tree it seems to help. However half the bark (vertically) was gone before I began the alfalfa. The tree has survived in this condition for about 5 years and produces some fruit. This year I have decided to put the poor almost 40 year old tree out of its misery, although the deed has not yet been done.

In summary: I think that the alfalfa halted or nearly halted the decline but did not bring about recovery. However, the apple tree was injured and old. The bearing life of an apple tree is considered to be about 50 years for commercial purposes. With the unprecedented rain we have received here and in some other parts of the US, it may be that you have a disease. It may be that the alfalfa can help. All this is highly speculative as I am no expert and have not seen the rose "in the flesh" so to speak.

It probably relates to the transplanting. I had a perfect Tea rose go bad and die when I put it in the ground from a pot where it had been growing perfectly. It took end of March- end of May 2017 to die. I think I put too strong root stimulant transplant solution on the plant I killed, because I didn't measure. This is a guess. I usually have had no trouble planting from a pot. I've seen, on this forum, various reports of death after moving a plant already in the ground. It is a risk.

Sheila, I transplanted in April here in zone 6. I trimmed all canes to about 18-20".

I used no root stimulant. The dirt where it is planted is very good soil. It started growing new leaves and looked very healthy until this past week. The decline was so very sudden, Ive rarely seen a shrub of any kind yellow its leaves then turn brown so quickly. I used Rose Tone once a month to feed it and kept it watered.The canes are still green, so maybe there is some hope.

I agree, it's a risk when you transplant any plant. I'm going to leave it where it is and wait til next spring to see what happens. I dont want to lost it. I have no more of it anywhere in my garden! Wish me luck!

You might also try taking a cutting just in case. It couldn't hurt.

Cath

Since the canes look green, I wonder if the heat hasn't caused some summer dormancy, and leaf senescence. You seem to be treating it well, so it may just be taking a rest until the weather gets cooler.

You may not have seen summer dormancy before the move, but now it's a bit stressed from adjusting to the new location, and not enjoying the heat. I'm hopeful that it will perk up once temps are cooler.

I agree with Cath that taking a cutting or two might be a good insurance policy.

Good luck,

Virginia

And, here's some different pics.

My neighbors must think I'm crazy because I stand in front of my rose bush with worried and perplexed looks, talking to myself (really, I'm talking to the rose bush, I'm sure you all know what I'm talking about;)

More on alfalfa and immunity: I have a bed, 40' x 10', of Vinca minor 'Getrude Jekyll' (white flowers and less vigorous than the usual) with small Spring bulbs in it. About 15 years ago it began to die back and continued to do so for about 10 years until only about 1/4 of it was left. (Most of the bulbs were still OK). Then I began broadcasting alfalfa on it once or twice a year. In the last 5 years it has gradually come back with about 3/4 coverage now. It may be that the Vinca die-off was related to Impatiens blight as both occurred about the same time and I used to have 4 large pots filled with Impatiens every year for many years in the same area.

Cath

P.S. Tutorials on rooting cuttings in earlier posts on this forum will be more helpful to you than any instructions I could give you.

Mspo, I'd also recommend shade of some kind to protect your rose from direct sun while it's adjusting to the transplanting. I find that shade cloth and tall rebar work well. A golf umbrella on a lawn chair can also do the trick. For the record, I frequently talk to my roses. I'm certain it encourages them! :-) Carol

Cath, I was just on the rose propagation and exchange forum here on Houzz. Lots of info there on rooting cuttings. Thanks for the heads-up.

Carol, almost all the leaves are brown today on my rose. I want to take a cutting and try to root it, but, sheesh, I'm afraid I may put the final coffin nail in the poor thing. But I know I have to try it in case it dies.

mspo, my success rate with cuttings is uneven, and my methods are probably not those to adopt if trying to propagate an irreplaceable rose. No method is guaranteed, but you might find some good advice at the Rose Propagation Forum for your particular situation and growing conditions.

I like Carol's suggestion for some shade (and encouraging words) while your rose is still adjusting to its new digs.

Virginia

Mspo, sometimes a picture is worth a thousand words, so I went out to my driveway nursery to take a shot that may give you hope. I sloppily moved an own-root Apothecary's Rose during our early summer heat wave because I had to act fast. After 15 years without, my husband and I caved and purchased central AC. The unit and its accompanying concrete pad was scheduled for immediate installation...plunked right on top of my old rose. Eek! I whacked back canes and then hacked out what I could of the Gallica's roots, crammed them into a shaded nursery pot and watered religiously. A month and a half later, voila! Rebirth beneath the fried canes and leaves. I love own-root OGRs! This is far from the first time a transplanted rose has fainted from shock before turning Phoenix and rising from the ashes. Good soil, water, shade and lots of faith and encouraging words go a long way with OGRs! A cutting is good insurance, though. I send best wishes for rooting success. I'm also betting that your original plant will prove a survivor. It looks a lot better than my Apothecary did a week after its abrupt move! We're breaking heat records this week. It's at least 105 degrees in my driveway. I paused after snapping the photo to whisper sweet nothings and make all kinds of extravagant promises to my tough and precious little Gallica. :-) Carol

The Phoenix

Basically I totally agree with Virginia; I think it might very well just be that it's suffering from the heat. I would definitely shade the plant, keep it watered, but use no "Rose Tone" or any other kind of fertilizer of that sort. Alfalfa would be OK, because that's just organic matter really, that breaks down slowly. Many, many of my roses are going yellow and dropping their leaves in our current demonic heat here in Tuscany, and I admit it is a distressing sight. But it doesn't mean that the plant will die. Best of luck to you!

UPDATE- My climber has lost all of it's leaves except for a few green ones near the top of the canes. The canes look healthy, not browning or shriveling, yet. With the advice and help from all of you good people, I think the problem might have been the heat we had here. Thanks to each one of you who responded in my time of need. I will post another update as needed.

Did your treasured rose survive, mspo?

I’m very sad to say, no, it didn’t survive. I must have made a grave error when I dug it up and transplanted it. My husband said I should have had him do it, and, with hindsight, he was right. It’s still in the ground. Hubby pruned the branches down to about 6 inches. Branches were all dry, brittle and brown inside. I wont dig it up yet. I keep hoping something is still alive down in the roots and may shoot up a sprout or something. It is a sad day for me.

Mspo, I am so sorry you lost your rose and thank Sheila for checking in with you so we may all offer condolences and what help we can. Do you by any chance have photos of your rose? We might be able to help you ID it so it can be replaced.

When I fear an own root old rose has perished, I always leave it in the ground, too, as you did. I continue to water it and weed around it for a season or more because own root plants can come back from below the soil surface, straight from the roots themselves. Your patience is both hopeful and wise. Unfortunately, sometimes plants that are moved go into shock, and even emergency room type procedures aren't enough.

I'm guessing that someone on this forum has grown your rose and will know where to get another. Not every, but just about every, cultivar we might find growing next to a home has been at least study named and propagated and is currently sold by a specialty nursery or located in a forum member's garden. Please let us know if we can help with an ID. Carol

So sorry to hear, mspo. Transplanting is a risky business it appears.

Thank you all for your condolences. I’m afraid I dont have a pic of the rose in full bloom, only the pic i posted at the beginning of this posting. I can describe it though. Keeping in mind the leaf shape in the pic above, the canes would get as long as 20 feet. The flowers were a light pink and kind of frilly in a small way. The flowers weren’t that large and there would be multiple buds and blooms on each stem. The fragrance was heavenly, light, and rosy and would waft all over the yard. This rose came from a previous old house I owned and was there when I bought the house. The bottom of the bush near the ground, (forgive me, I dont know rose terms) was very large and knobby, like it was quite old. Over the years while I was a working Mom, I didn’t do much to care for the rose. Yes, it would get black spot, yellow leaves, etc., but, it never effected the next years blooms.

When I moved into the house I currently own, we planted it and it thrived. However, it was in a bad spot so I moved it last year.

I am in zone 6, SW Pennsylvania. If anyone here can recognize this rose, please let me know. I have a feeling it was an old variety that is no longer sold. But, heck, no harm in asking, right? Meanwhile, I will look on my old computer to see if I have any pics of the rose there. Thank you.

Did it repeat bloom?

It would spit out a few blooms as the season wore on, but, not a major bloom by any means.

Did it look anything like this?

If not, can you describe differences? Fullness/size of bloom? Differences in shrub form? Sepals? Stamen? Color of blooms? Etc.? I'll bet we can all put our heads together and solve this mystery! Carol

This rose you posted is very similar to my old climber. I see there are a lot of buds on this one. The leaves look the same. The flowers look the same too. They start out a darker pink than they finish, which from your pic looks like a light pink, same as mine. Yours is quite full. I used to prune mine to help control it for the space it was in. But, it would get like yours if I let it. Now, for the big question...is your rose fragrant, and if so, how fragrant?

Sepals and stamen look the same. Mine would have 2, 3, sometimes 4 buds on the same tiny branch. Sorry, I dont know all of the tech names of the rose) so, for instance, using your bottom pic, there would be several flowers clustered together. Not just one. Not all the flowers would be multiples, but many were.

You might check out my "Antique Pink Climbers in Portland: Who are We" post (May 15, 2018). I uploaded more photos of canes and foliage and forum members replied. I'm 99% certain the two roses I posted are 'Manetti' which was used as a rootstock and shows up now and again when old grafted cultivars die off and the rootstock remains. I love Minetti! The fragrance is sweet and the plant is so soft and romantic. I plan to ask the homeowners for some cuttings, and I hope they root! If you decide that 'Manetti' is your lost rose, I'll bet one of us on the forum could root a cutting and send it too you. If your rose is something else, we can hit the drawing board again. :-) Carol

Please, where can I find your post from May 18th? I just checked your activity on Houzz and couldnt find it. Maybe I was in the wrong place?

Two other thoughts that might or might not count against 'Manetti' as an ID, I believe Zone 6 is the bottom for this rose, so it might be borderline cane hardy in your area. Also, to my knowledge 'Manetti' is once blooming. Carol

Hi! Wow, fancy meeting you online at the same time. :-)

Just keep scrolling down on the Antique Rose Forum posts. Carol

Another commonly found, sweetly scented, wonderful old pink rose is 'Banshee." I recommend checking out the post "Help with Old Rose ID?" by Dillybeasown. It was posted today. Banshee can look similar to Manetti in many ways and is quite hardy. It might be a better guess for your zone? It is also once blooming, I believe.

Useful links: Help Me Find site will have pages on both varieties. Paul Barden's website is linked on Dillybean's thread.

Carol

Here's the link: https://www.gardenweb.com/discussions/5305096/antique-pink-climbers-in-portland-who-are-we

It's not Banshee. Banshee is not a climber.

Rosefolly, thank you! I just reread the height of Mspo's climber. 20'!

Is Banshee always shrubby? Or can it be "stretched" a bit like Cardinal de Richelieu, Felicite Parmentier and some other ordinarily shrubby OGRs? Carol

Carol, I have only seen it around 2-4 feet but HMF says it can grow up to about 10 feet, http://www.helpmefind.com/gardening/l.php?l=2.516. Certainly not 20 feet.

It is a rose that does best in cold climates. In my California climate it never bloomed successfully. I discarded it when it developed gall, something I something I saw in several roses that were kept for a number of years in pots. It runs like a gallica, or worse. Mine came by way of Pennsylvania from my great-grandparents' farm in northern Maine.

Thank you for the info. From your great-grandparents' farm! I wish your family Banshee had settled into its pot and thrived n your climate. Then the old runner could have been a keeper.

8-10' matches what I have seen for a "climbing" Banshee IF the roses were truly Banshee. 20' sounds like possibly Manetti (if it can reach that height in Zone 6) or an old rambler. Carol

Well, I found your posting, Carol and I looked at the pics. The shot of the bush from the bottom entanglement looks a lot like my rose. Upon further thought, and looking at the scale of my living room size, maybe the climber didnt have 20’ canes all over. They may have been shorter, and yes, I would definitely need a zone 6 hardy rambler. You know, the more I think about it, the more I could kick myself for not transplanting more carefully. Looking at the Antique Rose forum on Houzz, I have realized I dont know diddly squat about roses. You guys are amazing! I’m wondering if I should dare go back to my old house and see if the folks who bought it tore out the rose like they mowed down the rest of my garden there!!! It’s been 11 years. Luckily my Hubby and I went over before I put it on the market and divided all the plants I wanted and brought them to my new home.

It wouldn't hurt to try, mspo. Manage your expectations.

I agree with Sheila. Take a deep breath.... Let us know how it goes if you sneak back for a peek. Carol