What's eating my harlow carr rose?

Harlow Carr Rose, bred for UK conditions and named after RHS Harlow Carr garden, is challenged by aphids, rose sawfly, black spot, and rabbits. Aphids are the chief pest. Harlow Carr has above-average disease resistance, making it one of the easier David Austin roses to grow, though aphid monitoring remains essential.

Colonies on fresh shoots and budding stems; leaves curl and distort; sticky waste encourages sooty mould Knock off with water; spray insecticidal soap or neem oil; plant companion flowers to attract aphid predators

Tightly rolled leaves or skeletonised leaflets where larvae feed; damage most visible May through July Hand-remove affected leaves; apply pyrethrin spray if colonies are spreading; avoid broad-spectrum pesticides that kill beneficial insects

Dark blotches on leaves causing yellowing and premature leaf fall; weakens flowering and overall vigour Collect fallen leaves; spray with myclobutanil or trifloxystrobin; thin dense growth for airflow

Stems gnawed near the base, sometimes severed; bark chewed away; damage worst in winter when other food is scarce Fit spiral guards around stems; protect beds with low wire-mesh fencing; reapply rabbit deterrent spray after rain