July is a busy time in the rose garden, and while many varieties benefit from constant dead-heading to encourage a repeat performance, some roses have reached the end of their flowering season. Most ramblers, particularly those in the warmer southern regions of the UK like ‘Wedding Day’, ‘Paul’s Himalayan Musk’, or ‘Felicite Perpetue’, fall into this category and should be pruned immediately after their display finishes. If you are struggling to tell the difference, remember that ramblers are notably more vigorous than climbers and produce a single, massive flush of small flowers that never repeat later in the season.

How you prune depends entirely on where your rose is planted. Many ramblers look spectacular when allowed to scramble up into a mature tree, in which case you can leave them largely alone, only stepping in to tidy up any straggly or unkempt growth. However, if you are working with limited space or have specifically trained your rose along a fence or wall, you will need to manage this year’s new growth. Start by removing any damaged or very old, woody shoots by cutting them right back to the ground to keep the plant healthy and productive.

The technique for training these roses is quite simple but makes a big difference for next year. If you are growing your rose around a vertical support, it is best to wind the stems in a gentle spiral. If you are training them horizontally, that is even better; the more horizontal you can keep the stems, the more abundant the flowers will be next summer. Once you have finished pruning, take a moment to tie in any loose or wandering growth and finish off with a generous layer of mulch to keep the roots happy and moist.