In article , curiosity
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Jenny, many thanks for this if only because your post is at least calming - it
seems I can be clumsy even neglectful and all will be well.
There is still a problem for me in identifying the various types. HTs for
example (I've heard of hybrid Ts...is that it?). What are they and how would I
recognise them.?

Hybrid T - bush size, ie usually waist or chest height (though some, eg
Queen Elizabeth, will grow higher if you let them) with big perfectly
shaped roses of the 'bunch of 12 red roses' sort of shape. They need
pruning to keep in shape and not go straggle - you can prune quite hard
in the spring.

There is a pergola sort-of-thing in the garden with a rose
clambering over it. Is this 'obviously' a climbing rose?

'Obviously' either a climber or a rambler. Ramblers you leave alone
apart from taking out dead wood or spindly weak stuff or anything that's
getting in the way.

Remember the growth habit of these is to produce long straight stems one
year, which produce flowering side branches the next.

Also, could you guide
me on the subject of dead-heading? Is it the case that there is always benefit
in removing the expiring flowers? If one is arriving late, as am I, to a garden
where dead flowers have fallen off of their own accord and rose-hips are
growing in profusion, should any action be taken to prune these off? (sorry if
this sounds stupid - I really am at the clueless stage).

Roses are usually vigorous beasts and won't be damaged by carrying hips.
Some roses will produce a few later flowers if dead headed, others
(especially species and older (in the sense of when introduced) roses)
won't. Experiment with yours. If you get later flowers and prefer these
to the hips, then dead head by cutting back to a strong bud. If you
don't get later flowers, or you prefer the hips, then don't dead head.
Some roses, eg rugosa (which has rough crinkly leaves and is much used
for hedges) and moyesii are grown as much for their hips as for their
flowers.

I heard also the other day that there are two pruning episodes per year, once in
autumn and more aggressive in early spring. Does this make sense?

Dead head by pruning back to a strong bud, then take off 2/3 of each
shoot in the spring. Applies to bush roses.



--
Kay
"Do not insult the crocodile until you have crossed the river"