I want to get it back to a manageable size with no growth on over the shed or up to next door's balcony. The fence panels will be coming down as there is a brick wall behind I am going to render.

Ideally I would like to cut it right back and have it vertical up from the base, now it doesn't need to fight for light, however I guess this isn't possible given now big it is?

Here is a picture of the base, if that helps.

Yes, you can cut back roses. But, whether it is a good time to do that now depends on your climate. It is a bad idea to do that where I live--in a few months the new growth will be killed by winter--it would be much better to wait until the forsythia starts to bloom in the early Spring.

I would focus on water & nutrients (especially alfalfa or an organic rose food containing alfalfa) to get several new canes growing up from the base before pruning off the older growth. The best time to prune depends on your climate.

I am in South East of England - so we get cold, but not long periods of heavy snow.

Is the base likely to generate some new canes now it is exposed to light?

I will wait till the spring and then see how things go - it's not going to hurt leaving it as it is over winter.

Yes, you will eventually get some new canes at the base. But, roses typically devote most of their energy to top growth, it can take some time for a rose to fill in at the bottom. By judiciously removing top growth at the right time, one can speed this process.

Yes, now that you've unburied it it should start to grow new canes and branches. In your climate I would still wait for early spring to do any hard pruning.

It's awesome, always wanted one that big! :-)

I thought after 5-6 years, you'd need to cut off the old canes.......one of my ramblers-Blushing Lucy's old canes all went dead this spring after 7-8 years, I have to start over training the new canes around porch...... I hope your rambler canes can hold up longer. What kind rose is that? Do you have a photo of the blooms?

Cheers

Thanks for the advice everyone - leave it until spring is the verdict!

I have no idea what type of rose it is - I am very new to Roses and have inherited a lot of bushes in the house we bought late last year.

I have attached a picture of a bloom if anyone can identify - the aroma is very intense.

Looks like NEW DAWN to me.

I agree with Beth. It should repeat for you if you do deadheading. You'd need a TALL ladder to do so. :-)

If it's New Dawn you won't have any problem getting it to grow back after you've hard pruned it. ND is VERY vigorous, lol!

The cane on the left at the base appears to be younger and more capable of responding to the improved conditions. But I don't see it in the overall shot. The very large cane is probably senile. I think I would cut it back in early spring to around the left side of the trellis and see if it sprouts. That would also encourage new growth from the base.

It looks like this rose is mostly in the shade and is trying to get to the sun

I don't believe it's New Dawn. The leaves aren't glossy enough, don't look as rounded or serrated as they should, and the bloom has an apricot glow that ND never has. ND is a pure powder pink, sometimes baby ribbon-, rarely a cameo-pink, and in heat, a dull faded white-pink. But I've never seen it apricot, and I've seen a LOT of ND, lol. But I don't have a suggestion yet for what it might be...

John

Is it super thorny? That can help decide right there if it is New Dawn or not. ND has KILLER thorns. In looking at your pics, the canes don't seem to have vicious thorns, but it is hard to see. I agree with John that the color seems off for ND.

It might be Albertine rambler rose, it's very common in UK.