In article m,
VX writes:
|
| Thanks. Ok, I get it now. I was thinking that what I knew some decades ago
| when I was doing stuff in my parents garden was still current knowledge! It
| isn't. One of my books seems to be saying that we know a lot better nowadays
| and cutting ramblers down to nearly nothing could even kill them. So I just
| ordered a couple of Alberic Barbier. It sounds very good- I especially like
| the references to A.B. having "been seen growing quite happily in unsuitable
| conditions".

There are no absolutes and never were - except this one!

A general rule is that cutting a very young shrub or one with only
very old stems back too hard can kill it. Some shrubs (like Akebia
quinata, many Chaenomeles and definitely Clematis alpina) sucker
readily and their stems are relatively short lived. You can shear
those back to the ground. Most others should be treated more gently
until you see how they respond, and some will never regrow well
from very old wood.

I don't think that many (if any) decorative roses are of the
suckering sort, though some rose rootstocks are :-( Some roses
can be cut back very hard; others aren't so keen.


Regards,
Nick Maclaren.