It would help to have a photo of buds, and/or of blooms that are just starting to open.

Oh. Drat. There are no buds or flowers about to open. The whole thing is in bloom. Should I cut off some of the flowers (and where on the stem?) to see if it will re-bloom? If it does, then I'll be able to post a picture.

I also need to know how to care for it so it develops a nicer shape and form. I've read up a little bit--but it seems to be I need to know more about this particular one to make sense of the info.

Here's a photo of the way it looks--very fragile and I'm worried.

I just wanted to get a look at the base of the flower, where the hips form, to see how the green sepals look. That's why I hoped to see buds. It helps us to see the center of the bloom with the stamens, the stems and thorns too.

If you do trim off some of the blooms when they are spent it may re-bloom in a couple of months.

If this was a grafted plant, and most are, you could be seeing the rootstock taking over. There is a common rootstock called Dr. Huey that is the color of your rose, but it usually blooms in clusters and I think the leaves on yours look different. It's a pretty plant and worth growing in it's own right -- I'll post a link to photos, just in case:

Here is a link that might be useful: Dr. Huey

Wow, you're good. The blooms in those pictures look exactly like mine. The camera is recharging, or I'd have pictures of those parts for you. Maybe I can get some this evening. Thank you so much!

You say the rootstock may be "taking over"--is that bad? What does it mean?

Re-bloom in a couple of months? That'd be September. We get frost in September and, in some years, snow by October.

Ok, I just did a little research on Dr. Huey.
1) it's a climber--does that mean mine is--and won't ever look like a "bush?" Actually, I kind of hope so--I'd love to have something climb on the wall behind it.

2) It says Dr. Huey is hardy in Zone 6b! Does that mean that if this IS "reverting back" to the root stock, it won't survive here in 3b anymore? Or is it OK? Does this have implications for moving it, though (for example, further back into the bed so it can climb)?

Oh--happy fourth of July, to you, too!

If that is Dr. Huey, it is the rootstock variety and has already survived over a decade of your winters.

The named variety that was grafted onto it would have died back. Most roses bought for home gardens are grafted hybrid teas that need some kind of protection during harsh winters to survive.

I have one here that came with the house, and it is more of a shrub than a climber -- it hasn't ever gotten very big. Also, if it is "the good Dr.," it may not re-bloom much. Mine blooms mostly in late spring and early summer.

As for care, I'd put down a little bit of balanced fertilizer, 3 or 4 inches of organic mulch, keep it watered and clip off the spent blooms. That's good advice for any kind of rose.

Thank you for laying my fears to rest, petaloid. It is good advice and I can manage that much at least!

I appreciate knowing yours hasn't "got very big." Mine hasn't either and I've always thought that was because it didn't have room. However, that could just be the way it goes.