Its sound like the roses need pruning of the old wood to promote new basal
breaks.

It this a non-repeater? If so what until its done blooming, otherwise cut
out about 1/3 of the old wood, to the ground. Give it some food (something
balanced) and try a 1/4 cup of epsilon salts, worked into the soil around
the base.

As long as there are big old canes, the rose is not going to be inclined to
produce new canes.

Prune some more of the old wood each year until you have replaced them with
new canes.

Good luck,

Jeff, Southeast Michigan, Zone 5 (we've just started to see some blooms)

"nikkikuz" wrote in message
...

I bought my new house in July last year, in the front garden there are 3
rose bush which are really tall - approx 6 foot plus. When they were
flowering last year they looked lovely. I am used to having roses and
am aware of how to care for them and prune them.
However, my problem is that these bushes just seem too high. I pruned
them back as far as i could but the base of them resembles a tree bark,
this carries on for about 10 inches, maybe further on some. So for a few
feet, there is no grenery as they just look dead. The top is full of
greenery and buds ready to open now.
I am wondering if there is anything i can do to treat the bases of
these bushes to make them bud again and how to make them smaller.




--
nikkikuz