Is this a Rosa multifora? And what do I do?

Hello,

Hot these, what seem to be, ground cover roses. My identifier app seems to think it's a Rosa multi flora. It gives small pink blooms. Well, there's a few, actually. It's all a bit wild. What should I do to thin all thos out?

I know I'm past the usual pruning window, but would it harm much if I cut a lot of this back? Or am I best waiting till the winter again? It's just a mess and I'd like to sort it.

 

Not really a chance of an attempt at an ID until it blooms … and then the really knowledgeable rose growers on here will need to see buds and blooms and the backs of the flowers and the leaves, stems, thorns etc. There is an almost infinite number of roses …

 

I'll be back when it does!
Cheers

 

Well, it isn't R. multiflora, so you can forget about that one..

The rose is modern, and like you thought, probably one of the ground cover types. It should be flowering in June, so rather a pity to cut it back now. Why don't you wait until the first, main flush is over, and then do it. It repeat flowers so you needn't worry about it.

 

Superb plan. Are you able to advise on how far I can cut these back? They have not had any serious work for at least 7 years.

Thanks again

 

Cut the whole lot down to 6 inches if you wish, or whatever suits you. Not a problem.

 

Super. Job for the end of summer, then. Thank you.

(I'll have this garden under control one day, I'm sure)

 

Oh. Is this an Alpine rose?

 

No, not an Alpine rose. It's a modern shrub rose, possibly one of the Hulthemias as it appears to have a red eye in the centre.

'Bright as a Button' is a possibility for that. Please show another photo when more blooms open. A single bloom on its own is not enough really. Thanks

 

@Mrs Hillard
Finally got round to taking some photos...

 

Oh ok.. the pink one is 'Coral Flower Carpet', and the white one is either 'Kent', or 'White Flower Carpet'.. looks a bit more like 'Kent'.. all ground cover types.

 

@Mrs Hillard, thank you so much. Do you imagine I will still be OK to cut this back after the first flush is over? They are quite black-spotty and lots of dead woody growth in there

 

Yes you can cut it back as much or as little as you want.. I would take out all the dead stuff and cut the lot right back to about 1 foot.