By Monjardinlra
Limousin,
France 
Challenging, eh? i don't think our plants can cope with the European media's version of this Spring's weather... Hopefully things will improve and nature will beat media scares...
Would welcome members' advice -
the perennial query: do I try chemically to blast the blackspot? and if not how best can I help this poor rosa... I have an apparently very old established rose (residual trunk still visible would rival many apple trees ) growing in extremely inhospitable conditions (under overhanging eaves, south-facing hot wall against stone, dry etc.) Mis-pruned frequently clearly but still trying and vigorous when it gets the chance - double flowers, violet, re-flowers when it can fight hard enough. Don't know its name. Every year blackspot twists it.
Kill, or look for cure?
19 Mar, 2013
Answers
If you can get it, read and try this. Tells you all about black spot.
http://www.armillatox.com/
19 Mar, 2013
It sounds lovely. Black spot - pick up all last years leaves if you can find them and burn them. Then when growth has got going spray with a product such as Rose Clear, intended to deal with black spot. You will need to do it several times through the season but the instructions will be on the container.
19 Mar, 2013