Flowering shoots develop normally, but fail to develop a terminal flower bud. Occasionally, a flower case may be form but be empty or dry.

Leaf and stem growth can appear perfectly healthy, with no sign of dieback.

Where rose blindness is a problem:

• Cut a blind shoot back by half to a strong bud to stimulate further growth. This should produce flowers later in the season
• Remove a proportion of older wood to encourage new growth, leading to better flowering. This is ideally done with annual pruning, often in winter
• Improve growing conditions by feeding with a proprietary rose fertiliser and mulching
• Ensure roses are grown in a sunny, open position

Susceptible: some rose cultivars are particularly prone to this problem: 'Peace' ( a large-flowered hybrid tea rose) and 'New Dawn' (climber), which often has a poor first flush (a surge in the production of flowers) of flowers.