I wouldn't prune Zeffy a lot. Zeffy is mostly a once- bloomer - yes, she'll put out scattered flowers over the summer and in fall, but the main action is a big spring flush. If you prune her hard in spring, I think you will miss out on most of the bloom. With my own Zeffies, I prune very little - basically I take out dead or weak stuff - that's it. I do this in spring when the forsythia blooms (I'm in zone 6 NJ too). I think if you want to do any hard pruning, I'd wait til after the spring flush. But again, I personally don't think Zeffy ever really needs hard pruning. As for rrd - the main thing is just be vigilant and examine your roses carefully! Hope this helps, and good luck!

I prune my ZD a lot every few years. It tends to put long canes on long canes and can get a bit wild. It has a lot of cane dieback also. I leave about a dozen long canes, cut back the secondary canes. I am also trying to get mine to climb up my deck, so I've been attaching it to the bottom of the deck (it grows in the back yard, right next to the deck posts. The deck is on the 2nd floor so it's about 10 feet up.

Many thanks, both, for the feedback. I am tempted to experiment with one of the two, but the thought of butchering the plant/prune away my Spring flush makes me cringe

I guess if it were me, then, I'd first experiment with one Zeph. But why not let it have its spring flush, and then hard prune it? That way, you get the flowers, and assuming your flush is over by, say, mid-June, that's plenty early to do the pruning. Here in NJ, we are not likely to get any killing cold til late Nov., so by then your pruned Zeph will be completely recovered.

Very good suggestion indeed, Frances. Thanks!