Good morning fine gardeners, I hope to get your advice. I am not new to gardening, but I AM new to exclusively container gardening and definitely new to really understanding roses. I'm in 7B and have a southern facing city patio. As with many of us in temperate zones, it doesn't seem to want to stop raining.

I have three new roses: two I purchased and took delivery at the end of March, from Heirloom: a Jude the Obscure and an Andrewsii. A couple weeks later I purchased a much more mature (I'm assuming it's from last year, but it was in its original square DA pot) Lady of Shallot from a reputable independent nursery. They're all in various states of suffering, most of all the Andrewsii. I cannot tell what's going on: black spot (probably), too much water, transplant shock? All had early aphid action but I was on top of it and haven't seen any in about a week. I've sprayed with organic stuffs: mainly neem-based preparations. I used a light fish fertilizer while watering the first couple of weeks, but have stopped, I'm afraid they're overwatered and have read so much contradictory information about fertilizing new plantings. There has been a LOT of defoliation-- slight/moderate yellowing and then falling off, mainly. I pruned the LoS because it seemed over-crowded and I wanted to give it more aeration; it's now starting to shoot out new growth (I think healthy?).

All of the pots are quite large, and the soil is organic w/o chemical fertilizer, purchased at the independent nursery. If the sun were out, they'd all be getting around 6 hours, and a little later in the year it will be quite a bit more (the walls of the patio create some shade at the moment), but it's been soggy and overcast.

I've attached photos (Lady of Shallot first, Jude second, Andrewsii third), and please let me know if you need more detail! I appreciate any assistance you can offer!

Now, you know that your Andrewsii is a spring-bloomer, right? It may or may not bloom much for you this spring, but should give you more next spring.

The first 6 pics look pretty darn healthy to me. 7 & 8 look the worst of the lot and even they don't look to bad as long as you got rid of those aphids already. I don't really see any black spot. There is a little yellowing on a few leaves but nothing much. Sometimes roses will allow old leaves to die off if they are not producing enough food to be worth saving.

Do the pots have good drainage holes? Don't water them until the soil is dry up to your first knuckle when you stick your finger in it. Roses love water, particularly DAs, but they also hate to be in soggy soil. That's why good drainage is so important.

I would suggest putting the pots up on pot trolleys to also help with water control. If the pots are sitting on concrete that can dry them too quickly because it's porous and draws water out of the pots. Or it can also hold water against the pot because it blocks the drainage holes. The trolleys will help that and will make them much easier to move when necessary. And believe me, there's always some reason they need to be moved, lol! A pot filled with a full grown rose and wet soil weighs a TON!