Hi,

I moved into a new property in December and the property came with the rose attached. I cut it back a bit when I moved in but it's now sooo leggy. One side is perfect, full of buds and flowers, the other side is nearly touching my roof (we have a bungalow) but there are no buds or flowers it just seems to be getting taller. Any thoughts on what I should do?

I think it definitely needs cutting down after it's flowered but the new shoots we're all at the top meaning it's going to always be super tall? Please tell me if I'm wrong. I'm new to Roses.

Thank you so much

I think it is possible that those are actually two different roses. I would just wait to see what they/it do(es) next before pruning. They look very healthy and just may have different bloom cycles.

What you MAY have there is a rose someone planted ... a cluster-flowering climber ... on the left ... and rootstock on the right.

Can you take a 5-leaflet leaf from each of the two, lay them side-by-side, and photograph them?

I hope someone will tell Sophie whether she should prune either of these roses, because I have some with the same issue, only worse! Thanks to my ineptitude plus the Iowa climate and rampaging rabbits, I have 2 roses with just tall single canes: a "Morgensfrühling" (which usually blooms very early but has no buds at all this year--we had a mistimed late freeze); and a 'Bayse's Purple' (that blooms all summer if I deadhead it, but it has only a few flowering branches atop its one cane). I've been afraid of whacking either of these way down, fearing they'd never grow back, but I'd really like to see something other than the skinny-tower effect I have now.

Any thoughts?

Thank you!

Let's see what the next set of photos reveals.

Those look like canes from the rootstock. Or perhaps a wild rose.

Those leaves definitely look different from each other. One side and then the other. I would say you're right about the root stock on one side. And the selected rose on the other.

Hi everyone,

Thank you for your responses. It's blown my mind. I didn't even know about suckers, I think your right though. It's very well established so some tips on removing would be great. I have attached pictures. Thanks