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Rambling rose

Mandy63Mandy63 Posts: 17
in Problem solving
Hi everyone, I’ve got a 10 year old rambling rose called seagull, I planted it when we first moved house and I didn’t really know much about gardening. I’ve left it Without really pruning it until last year where I took off all the top growth but most of the flowers are on the top of the plant and not very many near the base and middle of the wall. Can I start again and prune it Hard to near the base?? It’s such a beautiful rose and I don’t really want to get rid of it but at the moment it’s very top heavy. 
Thanks in advance 

Posts

  • Nanny BeachNanny Beach Posts: 8,719
    After flowering, what colour is it  (white?)and can we have a picture?
  • Mandy63Mandy63 Posts: 17
    White, it’s just starting to flower now, I think earlier than normal because of the weather being so hot early 😊
  • Mandy63Mandy63 Posts: 17
    edited May 2020
    The green that is in the middle is ivy from next door 😬
  • Hostafan1Hostafan1 Posts: 34,889
    I'd cut some ( no more then 1/3 )  of the oldest stems to about 12" to encourage new shoots from the base.  Repeat for the next 2 years. 
    Not easy, but it'll re-invigorate it.
    Devon.
  • Mandy63Mandy63 Posts: 17
    Thanks Hostafan1, I will do that. 
  • DovefromaboveDovefromabove Posts: 88,147
    You beat me to it @Hostafan1 👍 

    Yes remove a few of the oldest stems at the base  after flowering. Next year remove the next oldest
    and the third year remove the rest. 

    It’ll throw up long new canes from the base. Train them as near to horizontal as you can without snapping them (be careful, some can be brittle) and then you’ll have a virtually new rose bush. 
    Seagull is gorgeous.😍




    Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.





  • Mandy63Mandy63 Posts: 17
    Thanks dovefromabove. It is beautiful and I look forward to it flowering every year and get very excited seeing the first buds open 😊
  • Nanny BeachNanny Beach Posts: 8,719
    Does it smell?
  • Mandy63Mandy63 Posts: 17
    Yes it smells wonderful 
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