(December) I have
several antique roses. Should I trim them in any way in the spring when I trim
my tea roses? One of mine is very thorny and it has an unattractive under part,
while the top is bushy. This one is several years old. The other is made up of
spindly shoots from the root area. I did trim this one some, after I planted it
and it grew up so very tall, the shoots were bending over.
For your antique roses, avoid severe pruning in February when you do your hybrid teas. Many antiques only bloom in the spring, so prune as needed after bloom. If yours bloom all summer, it may need a light shearing to get it more flowerful, but they aren't as needy of pruning as the hybrids. It all depends on their growth habit and season of bloom. But if the plants are spindly, pruning may help get some stronger stems.
I enjoyed your
article on the "old roses" in the paper a few weeks ago. I thought you might be
interested in another variety that has done well in my garden. The Seven Sisters
rose bush came from a very old bush that has grown on an old farmstead for four
generations. It blooms great every year and there really are seven colors on the
same bush in various shades of pink and white--from new blooms through old.