I've done it. Just cut it back very well, plant it, mulch it and keep it watered. When I moved here, I moved 75 antique roses, and most were large shrubs. However, I must say, antique and old garden roses are much tougher than some of the newer hybrids...and hybrid teas. I don't know anything about hybrid teas....except that I don't like them.

I found this for you...

You will occasionally want to move a rose bush from one
location to another, but fear shocking the bush too much and
having it die. However, here are two effective ways to
minimize the shock to the bush so you can successfully move
it to another, more suitable place in your flower garden.

The first, and simpler way, is by driving a spade down
vertically to its full length of blade about twelve or
fifteen inches from the bush and repeating the process in a
circular form until all lateral roots have been cut. This
should be done in June or early July and the bush should be
moved two or three weeks later.

Dig a sloping hole leading to the vertical spade-cuts on one
side, remove some of the surface soil round the bush to
reduce weight, drive the spade under the plant, and gently
lift it in a ball of earth. The ball can be made more
adherent by wetting and dabbing the outside of it. Slide it
into its new hole by way of another sloping cut, fill the
spaces round the ball with friable soil and water it
heavily. The bush must be pruned and all leaves carefully
clipped off to reduce loss of moisture and consequent
shrivelling.

You see, by cutting any strong root at a reasonable distance
from a plant, it forces the growth of many smaller ones of
the feeding type. Roots feed only through their terminal
points, and so the greater the number of small fibrous roots
the better a bush can feed from the soil.

The second, and less simple way, is to prepare the rose for
the move by digging a trench in early spring in a semicircle
round the bush at a radius of a foot, or slightly more, from
the stem, depending on the size of the plant. This will cut
the roots in that part. Fill the trench with loam that is of
good quality but does not contain fermenting manure of any
type. A network of fibrous secondary roots will form and
permeate the rich new soil. After three months, about
Christmas time, complete the circle in a similar manner. In
the autumn, about four months later, the bush can be lifted
with a good ball of earth held together by a mass of fibrous
roots.

The rose bush has been safely root-pruned in either method
of transplanting, and will reduce shock ensuring the plants
survival. You may be wondering why you would need to use
that second, more involved method, when the first method is
so simple. Well, the only time it is necessary is when
moving a very large old rose plant.

So now you have 2 great methods for successfully
transplanting rose bushes. Although you don't want to do it
very often, feel free to get your flower garden just the way
you want it! Happy planting.

Suzan J

Thanks so much for the tips and research.

I'll see if the current owner wants to take it with her--much as they bother me, I'd love to see the plant have a good home somewhere else.

I moved one just a few weeks ago. Cut down the foliage by about half, dug it up and moved it real quick. I was unable to get much in the way of roots, so I had my doubts about whether or not it would live, but I see new growth already.

After it is transplanted, if it is very sunny, I would keep it shaded and well watered for a week or so. Maybe a neighbor would want it if not the current owner.

I have about 30 (use to have 50) roses and have been growing them for over 40 years. I have done exactly what you have asked about numerous times. I did just like sjarz said except I put them in big pots, twice the size of the roots, or in burlap bags if they are going into the ground. I also cut them way back like I prune them in the Fall. Keep them well watered in the pot or bag for the first week or two and transplant as soon as possible.

Once they are in the ground I water them with B1 following the directions on the bottle. You can tell the new owner to spray with an antidesiccant such as Wilt-Pruf or one for the roots like Root-Zone as an added precaution but don't have to do so.

You could advertise on Craigslist that you have free roses or go to GW Rose Propagation & Exchange Forum and say pickup only. It would be good if you can find out the roses' names if there are still tags on them or ask the previous owners.

It is nice that you are giving them away rather just throwing them in the trash. I have got a lot of nice roses that way that someone didn't want and I have given away quite a few myself.
Clare

Oh, I definitely don't want to dispose of a lovely plant that someone else can enjoy. I, myself, think roses are beautiful, and even like the smell--for the first 30 seconds or so--LOL. It would be a shame to trash it/them (I really have to go and check to see how many there are).

Thanks again for the responses. Looks like there is a high probability of success, so well worth trying to get someone to take them.

Interestingly--the family we're buying from WILL be our neighbors after the sale goes though. They're moving next door temporarily, with a relative, while they build their new home.

I'd really like to move, for many reasons, but I can't because I have 13 rose bushes that I could never leave!

LOL, Jannie--that's so cute. I've got some 30+ year old Concord grapes that I'm going to be devastated to leave behind. They've given me many a good jelly sandwich--and were the basis for my very good grape sourdough starter.

Azzalea -- I am a bona fide rose nut. If the previous owner doesn't want to take it, feel free to e-mail me with your general location and I will try to connect you with the closest local rose society.

Most likely they can help dig it up with all of the roots (so you don't end up with the rootstock re-growing) and find a home for the plant.

Petaloid--will keep that in mind. Thanks. What an excellant suggestion and offer.