"rose" wrote in message
...
When I took over my allotment a few years ago, there was a rose tree/bush
that I presume started out as a "proper" rose but has since gone wild. The
trouble is that I've never been sure how to prune it.

It's approximately 9 foot high, but the first 3 foot at least is just bare
"trunk". It used to flower, but the last couple of years it hasn't
(probably due to my pruning). What I've done the last couple of years, to
try and get it under control is chop off about half the height of the
stems that have leaves on them, but all that happens is they shoot up
within a couple of months to the same height (if not a little higher) to
what I cut off, and don't even flower now.

What I would really like to know, is can I prune it severely even to where
the trunk part is? Would this promote growth to start lower down. The
trunk is very old looking a gnarly, would it send new shoots out or not?
Id prefer it to be a height of about 6 foot, with less bare trunk and of
course to be flowering again.

Any advice appreciated.

Be bold. Cut it about 6inches from the ground. Just above a bud if there is
one. It will then either put out new shoots or die. Either way, the problem
is solved.

Steve