By Elless48
United Kingdom 
Hi all, I too have been away for quite a while and have recently move to a new but very boring garden. There are a few nice plants (very few) and some lovely climbing Roses. I have one rose though, that is a bit of a myster. It had been hard pruned at some point before February but is now around 7-8ft tall. The problem is that it doesn’t have a single bud. My first thought was that this new growth may be all suckers. The base of the tree looks very old. It has a few dead branches which have large thorns but none of this years growth has thorns. Also the base of the trunk is above ground level because the river, which is about 10ft beyond the fence, floods occasionally and it looks like the soil from that particular border has been washed away. I’m having a raised bed with seating, built along that border, is it worth trying to save the rose tree?
25 Jul, 2021
Answers
Thank you, Grandad_gardener. It’s good to know that it’s not suckers but the tree is going to have to come out as there is going to be a raised bed all along the fence and work starts in a couple of weeks. It could go back in the raised bed and tied into the fence but thought it would be better somewhere else as it could then be replanted immediately.
Thanks for your help. I’ll definitely try and keep it.
26 Jul, 2021
I agree the rose is worth saving. If it is to lifted soon then prune the stems down to about 2-3ft and replant and water well. Reducing the growth will help it establish and prevent it rocking. Don't bury it any deeper than it already is.
Train any new growth as close to horizontal as possible and this encourages bud formation along the length of the stems.
27 Jul, 2021
Thank you for you’re advice. I will do as you say to try and save it. It looks such a healthy rose. I’m going to struggle to find somewhere to plant it where I can train the new growth. I only have a small garden and most of it is going to be landscaped ( terraced, raised beds etc) and I only have 1 border that is not being touched. It has a few well established roses and shrubs in already I’m going to try and fit it in there.
28 Jul, 2021
Just a thought, I have lots of large pots, would it be unwise to plant it in a pot until next spring, when I’ll be able to put it more or less where it is now?
1 Aug, 2021
if you can leave it in the ground that would be better for it but if it is in danger then lift and repot immediately. Prune it down to help prevent water loss and wind rock.
1 Aug, 2021
Thank you, theres no chance of leaving it where it is, as that bed will be 2ft+ higher than it is now, but my hope is, that it can go back where it came from when landscaping is finished, so it will be anytime after end of October. I’ll make sure it’s sheltered from the wind.
1 Aug, 2021
I'd try and save the rose, the fact it's not flowered yet could well be because it was pruned hard back and is putting energy into growth
The new growth does not look like briar type root stock, and I know some of my new growth is thorn free when soft & young
Not sure what plans you have for it but perhaps try & tie it more horizontally along the fence there?
If only temporarily, sometimes horizontal training induces flowers rather than reaching for the sky
26 Jul, 2021