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Old Roses

FritillaryFritillary Posts: 498
in Plants
I have several old roses that I have sadly neglected over the years. 
William Lobb. On its own roots, throws up massive shoots that then flower at the top. Do I need to bend and then tie them in on the horizontal to get maximum flowering ? How much of the old wood should I cut out from the base each year? If new shoots tied in and then flower all along the length do I cut them back to the ground as you would do to a rambler ?
Queen of Denmark, Not very keen on sending up new growth at root but sends up other shoots all over the bed. Is this because it is neglected and I have not been feeding it. 
Need general advice as  well for Chapeau de Napoleon, Fantin-Latour and Rosa Mundi, all neglected.
Thank you in advance for all advice.

Posts

  • MarlorenaMarlorena Posts: 8,705
    You have your work cut out there if they've been neglected, but that's ok, with 'William Lobb'... which throws up 8 foot canes, I would try and bend them towards the horizontal, about 10 to 9 if you're looking at a clock....  however, depending on how big it's got and how out of hand it is, I might cut the whole thing back to about 4 x 4 feet, removing any dead wood you see, cutting out any really thin pieces of cane, and if it has flowered on any side shoots, remember to cut these hard back to about 1 or 2 buds dur winter...  but if you've only had blooms on the top, then I would want to cut it back to a shapely manageable size, but you need to keep a reasonable framework for blooms next season..


    I would want to do something similar with the others but those are not roses I would be looking to peg down, but reduce the size again to something like 4 x 4, but with R Mundi maybe 3 x 3, remove dead wood and thin out a little from the centre, but without seeing them it's difficult to say, so only you can be the judge on that one...
    East Anglia, England
  • FritillaryFritillary Posts: 498
    Thank you Marlorena. I will try and get some photos, maybe before and after shots. :)
  • PosyPosy Posts: 3,601
    I have a William Lobb and it is a bit of a rebel. I cut back some of the old wood right down each year and reduce very long new growth but I find it flowers best - and it is gorgeous - when I allow it to decide its own height. I support the shoots to reduce flopping but I don't try to make them horizontal, it didn't flower so profusely that way. 
  • cacockerillcacockerill Posts: 2
    I have just taken over a garden which has a few old rose's in it. They are to tall in my view and they want pruning. But at the base of the plant they don't too healthy and looking brown so they only are green at the top.
    My question is if I hard prune and take them down to the base will they grow back or will i have killed them 
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