Prune shrub roses just above a new bud

1 Use a stout pair of thornproof gloves for investigating and clearing. Eye protection may be advisable for some of the thorniest thickets.

2 Cut the older stems of rambling roses to the base, but leave newer stems unpruned as these will flower in summer.

3 Tie the stems of ramblers and climbers to their supports – go down and around, horizontally or in a V-shape to steady sap flow for better flowering.

4 The best way to prune a shrub rose variety is by cutting just above a bud. After pruning, weed around the base, apply a handful of rose fertiliser and mulch over the roots but not up around the stems.