Give it time. Not all roses bloom at the same time. If you post your state &/or zone, we can be more helpful. Do not prune it. In fact, since you are new to gardening, do not prune without checking to be sure you should and how to do it--roses or anything else. More mistakes/damage are made with pruning than just about anything else in the garden. Rule of thumb: if it is thicker than 3mm, don't cut it without knowing what you're doing. There really is a science to it.

Never prune a climber... does it have any buds?

Some climbers won't do much in the first couple of years.

There is a saying (actually, it applies to all roses): First year sleep, second year creep, third year leap.

I don't grow Blaze, but it seems to be a happy plant if it is growing such substantial canes.

I don't want to be a big downer but for us Blaze is one stingy bloomer. I would love to get rid of it but my husband won't let me. It blooms only in the spring and at that time it is gorgeous. If you have Blaze Improved that might be different I'm not sure. Our Blaze did not bloom until year two though.

Hope this helps.

Kate

thanks for all the suggestions!

we live in southern ca -- i guess zone 9, 10! Regarding the Blaze, it just seemed strange that the rest of the climbers are blooming (that too, profusely), and this one is just growing tall, with no buds in sight.

My 2 Blazes started blooming right away. Maybe your rose was mislabeled? It happened to me once, when I bought New Dawn but it turned out to be a once bloomer named Dr. Van Fleet.

Hello I live in Ontario, Canada and I bought a blazing rose last year. I heard lots of negative comments regarding this one in how it doesn't survive a winter here. But what has me confused is that on the tag it says it was grown in Canada. I covered it up with burlap and expected it to have not survived the winter. Well was I in for a surprise when I got around to finally removing the burlap as greeting me were green leaves galore on it. However the trellis I got is for the birds as you have to add on to it as it is only so high and last year the rose grew to the top of the fence. I would like to get another trellis like the rake type but I can't take it on the bus as I only take public transit. Will check and see if there is any way I can get one of the stores to perhaps deliver it to our senior building or get somebody to take me to the garden centre. I would ask the fellah but he has gone away with his wife to Niagara Falls for two days. Soooo how does one rate this one? What is the best climbing one for continuous blooming that I can buy here?

My first thought is maybe Blaze was grafted and turned into a rootstalk sucker of Dr. Huey. Sometimes that won't bloom for several years. But if I reread correctly you just planted it bareroot this spring? Maybe it got caught in between weather changes and is catching up. It should try to put out at least one or two flowers yet this year. The Blaze Improved is better than the original for length and repeat bloom. Once it gets started only a really severe winter will do it harm. I'm in the country so I have to mulch and I put up wind barriers. Here was mine before -40 degree winter in 2007.