I wonder about their growing conditions after 25 years. Has the area gotten shadier with trees growing? What about soil enriching and watering. Your location could help people advise you. Which roses are they? Photos could help too. I have heard grafted roses can have a shorter lifespan than own root roses.

All that Sheila said . . . Particularly where are you?

PLUS . . . Do you have any photos of the blooms you get in the spring? What you are seeing now may not be the Austins you bought.

The environment hasn’t changed at all, they get afternoon sun the same as always. I’m in southern Ohio where we have fairly humid sunny summers and they do have a tendency to black spot after the first bloom. These are Perdita and Reeve, I don’t think they are grafted. I do tend to think it’s the soil but I’m not sure how to amend a bed this old without disturbing them. I add new mulch pretty much every year and give them a standard commercial rose food. No pics right now... they look the same to me but of course I don’t remember 25 years ago as clearly as I might think!

Could you have Rose Midge?

These have been GREAT questions!!!

I'd give them a big shovelful of aged manure before winter. You should see new growth next spring. It makes a big difference in mine. (Thank you, Diane). Those are two wonderful older Austins that are out of commerce and almost impossible to find anymore. Good luck!!

Photos of the blooms in the spring were requested earlier.

But can you post photos of the bushes now?

Here is the Reeve as it looks today, complete with a couple struggling flowers and, yes, black spot. The nearest big tree is probably 30 feet away. Worst case, I will just settle for having that first spring bloom rather than take a chance on killing them...I’ve never had any other flower that smells as incredible as these guys!

If it were mine, I'd take out a bunch of older canes from the base.

Ok thanks all for the advice. Can’t wait for spring to see what happens!

Trees extend far away from its capony. I have a small & slender crab apple tree that is 50 feet away from Munstead Wood. Munstead Wood gave a few blooms for spring flush, then refused to bloom after that. Dug it up and found a bunch of tree's roots entangled. Move Munstead Wood elsewhere, and it bloomed right away .. now it's a CONTINUOUS bloomer.

I think I’ll try the manure and the big prune first. I have a smallish yard so I would be hard pressed to move these guys but I’ll try as a last resort. Thanks for the warm welcome and all the thoughtful advice. Don’t want to wear out my welcome but I want to put in a climber next spring and any recommendations on varieties would be appreciated. I have a trellis in a mostly sunny location. I’ve never tried a climber and I suspect many of you have a lot of experience with them 🙂

I am afraid I will kill my roses with lots of old wood and little new wood, by pruning them (or moving them). Is there a right time to do this. Or --I am trying to answer my own question-- should I move them into a pot for a year or so until they put out new root growth and then plant them in a new spot? Or just replace?

I second a big dose of compost/manure. If the only thing you've done with the soil is commercial rose food and mulch then it's time to up the organics and feed the "soil food web." The soil food web is all the organic life (bacteria, algae, fungi all the way up to earthworms and insects) that is in healthy, vibrant soil. We've learned that the work of these life forms and the symbiotic relationships they have with plants and their roots have been much undervalued in the past.

Monarda -- If you're going to remove some old canes, just remove one or two. Then, wait a month or two, and remove another. Then, wait until pruning time to remove any more. You don't have to do this all in one "go." Let the plant have a chance to recover.

Thank you for this, Jeri. I have removed some canes in August and wasn't clear this was right. It looked like the canes were ready to go but maybe Spring removal would be better. OTOH I got some off to be done with it.