Rose "ruby wedding"
By Carolalty
United Kingdom 
I have a rose "ruby wedding", two years old, which produces some attractive blooms but very unattractive growth - long spindly stems and few leaves. I tried pruning hard in the autumn but it made little difference. Is there anything I can do? Will heavy feeding help? Our soil is light and well drained.
8 Nov, 2008
We were given 2 called Silver Wedding for our anniversary a couple of years ago, but they are not the best either. They have quite nice flowers but are not very garden worthy especially if space is at a premium. I think the breeders just give them the name to sell them for unimaginative relatives to give at anniversaries. I'm going to give mine another year or so before digging them up. It all depends if the donor visits your garden much!! Why not buy a different type of rose (possibly a David Austin bred type) in the same colour and plant that instead then you will have something to show the present-giver! They won't know the difference!!
Or you could train the spindly growth round a short obelisk, bending the shoots as low as possible to stimulate buds.
10 Nov, 2008