Wilted leaves on otherwise healthy canes? Doesn't look like any particular disease I know, fungus or insect; more like severe drought and scorching hot sun. Maybe stuff like compost in the soil and seaweed a couple of times a season can help leaves live longer. It makes plants more resistant and healthy in the long run. Keeping the soil evenly moist helps too.

That looks like sun scorch to me too although its pretty rare to see it on a zone 5 rose. I hope Michael & Kim check in today to have a look at this.

Regular waterings would probably help. In the meantime, just pick off the brown leaves--it will look better.

Kate

As cecily says, you wouldn't expect to see sunburn that bad in zone 5 unless these are new roses transplanted from pots and not watered. Over-fertilizing can also contribute to sun scorch.

Curling, dead leaves can be caused by spider mites. I had a plant that looked sort of like that five weeks ago when the mite population exploded during an early-season drought. It has recovered with no intervention by me. Also cercospora fungus can cause large brown dead spots like that by late season.

I don't have a clear diagnosis. I would do what Kate says--clean it up and water. Once new growth develops, fertilize moderately (unless you have been over-fertilizing, then don't).

All of the above. With cool damp nights. And thanks all. Never let my spider mites get this bad. In a hurry this year due to weather, etc. this is ebb tide before I let it get out of hand.

That looks like bacoppa, water hyssop, growing beneath the rose as a ground cover. If that's what it is and it looks that good, I would suspect lack of water isn't the issue. I can't see from the image well enough to determine if there are spider mites or not. What have you sprayed on the plants? If the tropicals are also reacting this way, I suspect it might be fertilizer (salt) or some spray which has been applied to them all, perhaps Miracle Gro fertilizer sprayed on the foliage? If you were in zones 9 and higher, I would chalk it up to severe sun/UV, which we are definitely suffering from this year, much more severely than in any previous year in my experience. You may well be experiencing intense heat and greater UV/sun than is traditionally normal for where you are, but for the plants up in the air to be so severely affected while the bacoppa on the ground to still look that good, I would think it's more an issue of something sprayed on the larger plants. What sounds plausible to you? Kim

Susan, my roses in the most direct sun are also doing that as well, although not that bad. We just finished 4 weeks of 35C+ (95F) weather, hottest steak was over 40C for 5 days (46.8C hottest day) after which those kinds of leaves where showing up. I attributed it to the weather but am very curious to hear what others think.

Interesting that michaelg brings up cercospora. Thinking back everything in this particular location had cercospora issues last year. Thanks michaelg I think it is time to replace the mulch and a little soil.

SCG