I'm in PA as well and have yet to find a rose that is resistant to blackspot. I've bought roses that were advertised as BS resistant that still got BS in my garden.

I'm having the same problems sunflowersrus222 so I know where your coming from...

I don't put up with BS and will SP at the drop of a hat...lol
I give them to people willing to put up with the BS problems...

Anybody grow Thomas Affleck in the east?

I don't grow it but intend to acquire it sometime in the near future. It was highly recommended by a member of the RoseHybridizers association for it health, vigor, and the fact that it is thornless and will produce thornless seedlings. Carefree Beauty is one of its parents and is extremely healthy.

If you go on HelpMeFindRoses, search Thomas Affleck.
Look at the pictures. Celestial Rose, who use to post frequently on here has several photos of it. She has a large rose garden and comments on her photos of it that it is healthy and vigorous and hardy! She gardens in New Hampshire, Zn 4b. Blackspot is always an issue on the East Coast so I assume if it gets it, it is a minor issue. The pollen parent is Bayse's Blueberry which is a descendent of Bayse's Legacy, a rose especially bred by Robert Bayse for it's thornlessness AND disease resistance.
Good luck,
Jim

Thanks jimeastcoast,

I went ahead and ordered Thomas Affleck for next year.
Since all gardens are different it's probably just best to try it anyhow and see how it does here...

I grow it here in central Illinois....Blackspot Armpit of Illinois. Here's my observations.

'TA' is ownroot; about 5 years old. I spray but not religiously. Other H/Ts next to it have long defoliated and look ratty...'Thomas Affleck and 'Earthsong' are spotless and haven't been sprayed for about a month. Been too hot and no rain since June. 'TA' is a bloom machine...huge big blooms cover the shrub up to 4 cycles a year. This year the shrub was so overloaded it literally collapsed the shrub and it imploded and fell down flat...necessitating a long-overdue haircut. Normally 'TA' grows in a graceful vase-like form...mature size is 7' TALL X 5' WIDE. Not a tiny shrub...needs lots of real estate.

Sets hips between flushes and bumble bees love this shrub, as do the dratted Japanese beetles. Very cane hardy here in Zone 5...nary a drop of cane damage other than tip damage.

Be prepared to give a mature shrub a good haircut at least twice a summer and you WILL spend time deadheading the spent blooms...lots of time. But it is a jaw-dropping shrub worth the time and effort.

And it is NOT thornless, sadly.
-terry

7' x 5' :-O

Holy crap Terryjean! You secretly feeding it steroids? lol
Thanks for the info Terryjean.

I was expecting TA to grow 4'-5 x 3'- 4'... hummmm
I will place him in a different location then I was going
too...

Good idea on placement, Jim. He is one robust gentleman. I also found another good-size youngster growing under him when I was pruning, so now there are two. And he gets no fertilizer other than a dose of Milorganite in the spring