Rose bushes dying, wilting, crisping after rainfall

[Wiltson]

I am heartbroken! We recently purchased two, three year old rose bushes from a local and well regarded nursery (so I don’t think they came with any disease or anything). One hybrid tea and one floribunda. We had a couple of weeks of sunshine and they were blooming beautifully.

One week ago we had a torrential downpour and it just sort of killed the petals on both bushes. They looked dark and crispy and really bad.

I removed the damaged heads and then over the course of this week, a couple of the floribunda roses started to bloom. Lovely.

Then yesterday we had some more rain and as well as the petals being ruined, the stalks have drooped! All the way over!

does anyone have any suggestions at all as I am at a loss! Thank you.

Feed and wait

have you watered them well before the downpour?

Otherwise, if the buds turn black before opening then the plant needs more fresh air to dry after rain.

Cut back what's around it or move it come the Autumn

In the recent hot, dry weather, newly-planted roses (or any other shrub) would have needed to be kept moist and could need a good litre of water every day.

From the symptoms you describe, they got too dry and the roots were already damaged before it rained. That's typical drought damage. The rain itself had nothing to do with it. Some big flowers can go a bit funny if they get a soaking, but the droopy branches and crispy leaves will have been caused by the plant not having enough water to drink.

Soaking wet rose flowers sodden with water are heavy. So the flowering branches will droop with the weight.

You seem to be describing what they refer to as balling - rosebuds get wet, the petals stick together and the buds don’t open. My Blush Noisette rose is very prone to it. You can sometimes cure it by gently rubbing or peeling away the outermost petals, which will then release the others from their straitjacket.