Chapter 18 (extract 3) of "Roses for English Gardens" by Jekyll and Mawley (1902), in which Mr Mawley notes that the vigourous-growing roses need less pruning beyond thinning out of unwanted shoots.
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Illustration: Garden rose before and after pruning.
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Roses which require very little pruning.—To whatever section a Rose may belong, if it be grown as a climber, or as an arch or pillar, it will not do to cut it back hard, or it will bear but few if any flowers. But there are also certain other Roses which, although not of extra strong growth, will not flower satisfactorily if cut back at all severely. It is by cutting away the flowering wood of such kinds that the greatest mistakes in pruning usually occur.
Climbing, Pillar, and other strong-growing Roses.— In the spring these need very little attention beyond securing the best shoots in the positions they are required to occupy, and to shorten back or remove altogether any other shoots which may not be required at all. Within July, however, all these strong growing Roses should be examined, and every year some of the shoots which have flowered be entirely removed and the best of the strong young growths encouraged to take their place, cutting out altogether those not needed. The object of thinning out the shoots that have flowered, and tying or laying in the strong young shoots of the current year, is to enable the latter to make better growth, and by exposure to light and air to become ripened before the winter sets in.
Austrian Briers.—Beyond removing the dead, injured, and worn-out shoots, the Austrian Briers should not be touched at all with the knife.
Scotch Briers.—These require similar treatment to the Austrian Briers.
Hybrid Sweet-briers.—The Sweet-briers need no spring pruning at all; but in July, after flowering, it will be well to cut out some of the older shoots where crowded, in order to give the younger ones a chance of making better growth.
Pompon.—The free -flowering miniature Pompon Roses should have their shoots well thinned out, and those left shortened one-half their length.
Rugosa or Japanese Roses.—This hardy section requires but little pruning. Some of the old and crowded shoots should be entirely removed, and the younger growths either tied in or moderately shortened.
Banksian — The pruning of this particular class of Rose differs somewhat from that of nearly all the climbers in that they require but little thinning. After flowering, the strong shoots of the present year's growth not required to furnish the plant should be removed, and the rest of them tied in and slightly shortened. Care should be taken not to cut away the twiggy growths, as the flowers are borne on these laterals.
Gallica or French Roses.—Only the striped varieties in this class are now grown. They should be pruned in the same way as recommended for the Provence Roses.
Single-flowered Roses.—As these belong to so many different sections, it is impossible to give the exact treatment all of them require. Those of vigorous growth should be pruned as advised for other Climbing and Pillar Roses, while the bush and dwarf varieties should be only thinned out, and the points of the remaining shoots removed. The few dwarf Hybrid Perpetuals bearing single flowers should, however, be rather severely pruned.
Pegging down Roses.—When suitable varieties are selected, this way of growing Roses in beds has much to commend itself; indeed, in no other way can such a number of blooms of the larger-flowered Roses like the Hybrid Perpetuals be obtained from the same number of plants. In the spring only a few of the longest and best shoots on each plant should be retained.
After cutting off just the ends of these long shoots they should be carefully bent and pegged down to within a few inches of the soil. In the following spring the shoots that have flowered should be cut away, and the strong young growths pegged down in their place.
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More:
Rose pruning - general remarks; - varieties requiring close pruning (hybrid teas etc.)
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