Rejuvenating a very old rose

[CheesendPickles]

Hi guys!

I'm a complete gardening novice and I'm a little worried about killing this very old rose bush so I wanted to get some advice before I tackle it. I gave it a light prune this spring but having done a little research I think I need to take it to the ground over the next two years????
It was my grandmother rose it's pushing 50 we think. I really want to salvage it and bring it back to life.
Any tips on how I might go about this? Without killing it!

It's my experience that you can take old roses back by really quite a lot- but I would not take a shrub roses right down to the ground, maybe half the size.

David Austin, naturally, has a good online guide.

Is it in flower now? If you cut it right back once this flowering has finished, it might have another go later in the year. Although you're supposed to do it in spring, they are extremely hardy plants!

It looks as if there are two younger stems at the back against the wall, and three big trunks at the front. If it were mine I would saw off one or two of the bigger ones when the plant has gone dormant this coming winter. I would then expect it to make new shoots next spring. Following w inter remove the last remaining old trunk.

I cut mine right back. To the ground. Several of them. I was attempting to kill them and knew nothing about them at the time .. simply they were old, leggy and the previous owners had put so, so many in.

They all came back bigger than ever. Roses love a hard prune. I'm now of the opinion it's nigh on impossible to kill them.