YOUR PLANNER
1 START by removing the spent flowers from last season. To do this, follow your eye down the stem
(or cane) and look for a pair of healthy, plump buds. Make the cut just above these buds.
2 LOOK for the canes that didn’t have any flowers last season – these will produce flowers next year. You can also cut these stems back, but not as hard. Prune them just above a pair of healthy buds.
3 CONTINUE working your way over the bush, pruning healthy stems above plump buds, and cutting out dead and diseased material. Don’t waste healthy prunings. Strip off the leaves and use the blooms in a dry flower arrangement, then use the remaining stems to propagate new plants.
4 AIM to remove about two-thirds of the plant.
This seems harsh, but the plant will bounce back in spring. Don’t be concerned that the stems are different lengths, as this will help to create a denser bush with flowers displayed at multiple levels.