Good old lady!

If she is only 42, she IS a toddler!!

A very pretty flower.

I am afraid that is true, Chris!

now that has helped me with a problem I have. The frame which is holding up two lovely climbers (which have gone crazy this year) collapsed and was leaning badly, we have managed to prop it up for now but I wondered if I could chop them down to get the old frame out and put in a new support. What would be the best time to do it Melchi please, would I do it at the same time as pruning the bush and other roses?

ps love the rose too :O)

I'm not sure I am the best person to advise you, Barbara. I chop poor old Cecile whenever I feel the need to cut her back! I think it would probably be best at the conventional pruning time. (My feeling is that old plants which have gone berserk are pretty well-established, and can probably survive a cut-back, though you may risk sacrificing flowers.). Good luck, anyway!

Thanks Melchi for that. I will probably post a question and see if there are any rose experts to advise me. Thanks again. :O)

That is probably a good idea!

I bet it looks a picture in full bloom Mel !

It does, Rose.

That is going to look spectacular when all those buds open. I do love to see plants starting to flower for another year. Oliveoil can you tie the stems of your roses into a bunch and pull that away from the frame to allow you to chop out the old one and add a new one without losing the growth.

Thank you, Scotsgran. There are lots of flowers out now, so she's quite spectacular. She's always my first rose to bloom. I am always interested that the buds are so tiny and perfectly formed, like little china models, and then the flowers - though still small - are actually quite blowsy. I know she's not that rare, but I have never seen another. She was my granny's favourite - which, of course, is why she's here!

Scotsgran that is now the plan well if we can manage without chopping the climber too much we think we might be able to take out the crumbling metal arch. For the time being it is propped up well and holding well. Fingers crossed. Thanks for the advice everyone.

I have just discovered the feet of my tubular 4 arm hanging basket stands are starting to rot. These metal supports are a real nuisance. It is so true to say you only get what you pay for. Trouble is I have never seen any other than in cast iron that can last a decent length of time.

Me neither, my one collapsed last year and was sent to the scrap yard. Shame because I loved the four tiers and they always looked so pretty.