Climbing roses have long, stiff stems which are more structured than rambling roses and are easy to train over arches and up pillars. They are smaller than ramblers with a spread of 1-1.5 meters.

Climbers tend to produce their flowers on the current year’s growth and often bloom all summer with large flowers.

Prune in the winter, when the rose is dormant, to untangle and encourage new stems with plenty of flowers. Climbers tend to need only moderate pruning.

✓ Remove any dead or diseased branches.
✓ Retain the main frame of the rose, only pruning the younger side shoots back to four buds.
✓ If your rose is looking crowded, cut one or two older branches back to the base to promote new growth.
✓ Be mindful of where you are pruning and cut above a bud that points in the direction you want a new stem to grow.
✓ Use this opportunity to train your climber and tie in any new shoots.
✓ Repeat-flowering climbers should be deadheaded during flowering season in order to stimulate more flowers. Follow the stem back from the bloom until you get to the first set of five leaves which are pointing outwards away from the plant. Cut the stem just above those five leaves.

HOW TO PRUNE CLIMBING ROSES