Madame Alfred Carriere climbing rose

I planted one of these this time last year - it wasn't bare rooted. It did pretty well last summer apart from a bit of black spot (sigh). Now it's looking fairly straggly, although I know it will do until new growth and leaves appear. What should I do about trimming or pruning? I'd like to do it when the border in front of it is dormant as later in the year getting to it is almost impossible.

Thanks

 

Cheers Woo. I've done what you (and you link) suggest - have tied it to the fence using wire supports strung across. Will do a bit of a tidy up, when it stops sleeting!

 

Beautiful photos Woo, as ever :ntwrth:

And good luck with your rose, Sussexgardener!

 

Madame Alfred Carriere takes a few seasons to settle down - but it is worth the wait. I have a couple of them and they are great flowering performers. One is sprawling over a shed and another is trained along a wall. In the early stages I did little or no pruning - but it is a good idea to train the main canes to where you want them as they quite rapidly become woody and rigid. Pruning is only a matter of shortening back the lateral shoots to within a few buds from the main and they certainly do put out a lot of lateral growth when they get into their stride. BS is a problem some years but they are a sturdy enough grower to shrug it off and continue flowering. However, some years they seem to stay perfectly clean while other roses are covered in BS. Could never quite figure that one out.

 

Thanks. My parents had one in the garden, growing up a wire fence for years and year when I was growing up and it bloomed all summer. That's why I wanted one now, the mass of blooms, and fond memories of it.