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Climbing rose

HehamerHehamer Posts: 3
in Problem solving
My Lady Hillingdon climbing rose has lots of growth at the top but bare stems lower down which don’t look good. Is my only option to chop off the top to get it to fill out lower down? It’s on a north east facing wall, looks good in every other way, flowering and new growth. But hate these bare stems. Thanks, Helen 

Posts

  • FfoxgloveFfoxglove Posts: 538
    Hi most climbing rosenrose stems need to be trained horizontally to produce shoots and more flowers. 
    If yours all grow vertically you'll only get flowers on the top.
    You might have to cut back and retrain some stems to get more flowers but don't do them all at once which might shock the plant. Do say a third each year. 
    If growing in a narrow space try training a figure of 8.
    Others can probably advise you further but I hope that helps. 
  • HehamerHehamer Posts: 3
    That’s a really good idea a figure of 8. Thanks 👍
  • MarlorenaMarlorena Posts: 8,705
    You will find that very difficult with clg Lady Hillingdon... this is not a rose to train in complicated fashion..  it's a climbing sport of a shrub Tea rose, so it's natural habit is to grow very tall with bare stems at the base, typical of old fashioned Tea roses [not to be confused with hybrid teas]...  there's nothing you can do about that, other than to plant something in front for camouflage...

    Old Tea roses like these should not be pruned hard either, but some training across wires is useful but other than deadheading not too much is needed...

    ..just to prove I've actually grown it, and as you can see the inclusion of a few Foxgloves works wonders..


    East Anglia, England
  • sarinkasarinka Posts: 270
    Marlorena, that's really beautiful, esp with the foxies
  • HehamerHehamer Posts: 3
    You’ve made me feel much better Marlorena! They are beautiful aren’t they and that’s a fabulous photo. I had decided on tall in front - mine is at the back of a predominately red orange and yellow bed that I’ve just replanted in some of it. So it’s candelabra primula, helenium, trollius and geums. G. Totally Tangerine is brilliant! Thanks so much 
  • MarlorenaMarlorena Posts: 8,705
    ...thanks both !...
    East Anglia, England
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