In article , Jeanne Stockdale
writes
We have a number of roses in our garden - I think they are called briar
roses. The type that develop lots of hips after they have finished
flowering. They also through out a lot of new shoots from underground.

There are many different naturally occurring species of rose, all of
them producing hips. There are also even more varieties which have been
bred by crossing two or more species - these also produce hips, though
often in not such abundance. Briar rose is the name commonly used for
two of the species which occur in Britain - dog rose and wild rose, both
with single 5 petalled flowers.

Some of the new shoots I am taking out as the beds are in danger of being
swamped.

Presumably you mean the new shoots are coming up in the wrong place?
Otherwise I'd be inclined to take out old shoots rather than new ones.
Roses don't flower on new shoots, but flower from the second year
onwards, but eventually the older shoots get a bit weak and tangly.

But what about the original bushes - should these be pruned in the same way
as modern roses? I am sure I read somewhere that you don't prune them but
they are getting straggly and, particularly at this time of the year, they
look very untidy.

They don't need pruning, but it won't hurt them. Start by taking out any
dead wood. Then take out thin and spindly branches and any of the really
straggly bits. Don't do it on a frosty day, but do it before they're in
strong growth, probably before the end of March.

It's difficult to kill roses accidentally. Worst you'll do is have a
year when they don't flower quite so well, but they'll come back the
next year.


--
Kay Easton

Edward's earthworm page:
http://www.scarboro.demon.co.uk/edward/index.htm