Good plant, mediocre results — what went wrong with my New Dawn

New Dawn is clearly a great plant — I can see that from other people's results. Mine has been decent but not spectacular, and I think I know why.

I underestimated the importance of applying rose-specific granular fertiliser in early spring in the early stages and paid for it. rose dieback from hard winter frosts also knocked the plant back at a critical point. It lives in a cottage garden mixed planting with lavender which is probably not quite right but it's the best I can do in my space. exceptional fragrance on warm afternoons is visible but muted. peak flowering through midsummer gave me hope — there are glimpses of what it could be. Three stars for now with potential for four.