Betty Prior didn't grow vigorously here, and we might have been wiser not to have pruned it at all.

Grandmother's Hat -- Suit yourself.
You can leave it entirely un-pruned, or prune it like an HT.

Our general method is to leave it tall, and remove only non-vigorous or dead growth, but try to remove the old leaves.

Jeri

Ingrid:

A picture is worth a thousand words. This is how we prune a MATURE "Grandmother's Hat"

Jeri

Here is a link that might be useful: Pruning PDF

Jeri, that attachment is INVALUABLE! I've copied it into my garden file so I'll never have to search for it on the forum. It shows me exactly what I need to do to prune this rose so it will look like yours, big and beautiful. It's also made it clear that there's no need to prune mine; the canes are clean and healthy, no dead wood at all. The leaves are still totally green and today I even spotted a new bud. I think it's telling me that it wants to be left alone. Thanks a ton.

Ingrid

S'alright Ingrid.
Glad it helps.

We're going to make a series of these, and put them on the Gold Coast HRG Web Site.

We made it because we have to do a pruning demo at our local rose society, and I am sick and tired of trying to demo pruning on roses that are 18-inches to 2-ft. tall!

Jeri

Jeri, thanks for posting these great pruning instructions. My Grandmother's Hat band is still tiny and doesn't need any pruning yet, but I am sure I will make good use of them in the future.

It was also very valuable to me to get a look at the structure of a leave-less mature Grandmother's Hat rose bush. To be able to see her size and growing habit (more V-shaped bush) will certainly help with the placement of my band in the garden. That was just what I needed!

Christina

Jeri:

I tried to look at your pictures and it says they have been removed. Can you please re post them?

Thanks
FJ

You can download this pdf file from the address below.

This link will be valid for 10 days from today (1-19-11).
After that time, contact me, and I will send it to you. No problema.

(I need to get this file up on the Gold Coast HRG website.)

Jeri Jennings
Heritage Roses Group
Coastal Ventura County, SoCal

Here is a link that might be useful: Pruning Grandmother's Hat

My Grandmother's Hat has reached about 5 ft. I have a metal obelisk that I have gently wrapped the canes around (outside only & tied with plastic tape). Do you think this is a good idea? Will the plant benefit? If not, I can still untie it as the canes are very pliable. I did no pruning as I planted it only last winter.
Thanks,
Mary

Dear Jeri,
Thank you for posting the so helpful pruning guide. It has been saved. Yesterday, I began cleaning the rose beds. It just feels so darn good. The miriad of tiny breaking buds gives hope that spring will be here soon.
Thank you again.
Jeannie

Peachie -- Yes. I think it will be lovely.

Just be sure the tripod isn't squatting ON TOP of the plant.
Put it behind the plant, and wind the canes around the outside.
As GH matures, the canes will be less flexible, but can still be carefully bent.

Jeri

Hi Jeri,
Any chance you could report that PDF of the pruning instructions? Want to know what I'm getting myself into, LOL.
Thanks,
KMama

Hmmmm . . . I'm about to be out the door.
Ask me the middle of next week?

Send me a reminder!

Jeri

Hey Jeri,
Are you back from Celebration yet? (Don't know how much rustling you do in your trek back across the state.

Do you mind posting that PDF again? I know it will be a while before my GramHat is of prunable size, but I thought it would be interesting info to read.

Thanks,
KMama

I'd like that post too since I know own the Grandmother's Hat I won at the Celebration! Thanks!

Very simple pruning instructions -- Go to the GoldCoastRose site, click on "ARTICLES" and look for Pruning.

In a sense, this is more telling you what NOT to do, than what TO do.
And please remember that these instructions are for CALIFORNIA gardens, and fairly warm-climate roses. There's nothing here on Gallicas, Damasks, and the other Cold-Climate roses.

To speak specifically of Grandmother's Hat, in a nutshell it is this: SUIT YOURSELF.
Allow the plant to grow up some. If you brought home a 1-G plant from Celebration, it likely will not require pruning this year.

But once it gets going, you can choose what you want to do with it.
1. Grow it as a low-climber, espaliered against a trellis.

2. Grow it as a tall, vigorous centerpiece plant that will reach to 7 ft. in a warm climate, and spread perhaps 4 ft. at the top. This would mean little or no pruning. Only light deadheading.

3. Grow it as a large, disciplined Shrub in the middle of a roomy bed. In pursuit of that, prune it as you might a Grandiflora Rose. In MATURITY, it would look like this:
{{gwi:224870}}

4. Grow a row of it as a closely-planted informal hedge, keeping the growth within the parameters you desire.

Jeri

Here is a link that might be useful: Gold Coast Heritage Roses Group Website

Thanks, Jeri.
So GHat is a HP. Does that mean the other HPs can be left unpruned to grow more as an upright vase the way you can let HP go, or do most other HPs need to be pruned like the modern roses with outward facing buds, etc., in order to bloom well?

-KM

No dear.
:-)
It means that "Grandmother's Hat" is PRESUMED to be a Hybrid Perpetual, except by those who believe it is a Bourbon, and those who believe it is an early Hybrid Tea.

I am inclined to believe it is an alien rose from another Galaxy, and subject to no Terrestrial rules.
FWIW, I think it is likely related to "Ragged Robin," ('Gloire des Rosomanes') which is a ?Bourbon? or a ?China? depending . . . And maybe there's some Autumn Damask in its makeup, since the foliage is interestingly similar.

I don't grow enough HPs here, or grow them well, to tell you WHAT to do with them. Most HPs grow here sulkily, at best, and so I treat them with deference and respect.

Jeri

Yes, I noticed on your PDF (which I got, by the way) that you labeled it a bourbon. It will be interesting to see how it grows in my climate.

I'm going to just grow what I've got ordered and see how it all works for me. I tend to be fairly lazy in the garden (I save my work for the veggie garden and raising my kids) and who knew, I ended up buying a ton of HPs and it sounds like they require the most pruning work. Oh well... live and learn.

Thanks for all your information,
Kmama

What I'd suggest is, plan to go to pruning demonstrations at the San Jose Heritage Rose Garden and/or the Old Sacramento City Cemetery's Historic Rose Garden. There, you'll get the best insights on dealing with these roses.

But remember, these new plants won't NEED a lot of real pruning this coming year, and maybe not even the next year.

JEri