Roses need to be pruned for two reasons:

 1.  to take out old and diseased wood which will encourage new flowering shoots to grow &
 2.  to keep a good shape & to allow light and air to circulate through an open centre.

Roses should be pruned when they are dormant.  Pruning can take place in the autumn (November), but if there is
frost and your garden gets cold in winter, then only prune in spring (March/April) when it's alittle warmer.

As it's summer and our rose bushes are flowering in abundance, we need to dead-head them regularly. This will encourage new flowering shoots as the plants energy would have been lost in forming hips. When the flowers have faded, remove the whole truss, cutting the stem just above the second or third leaf down. Remember to make a clean cut and at a 45 degree angle. If, however, its a first year rose, very little stem should be removed. I hope this will provide you with many more beautiful blooms throughout the remainder of the summer!