Well, if they're still in a growing mood, why not fling them up on the roof? I've seen pictures of cottages in England that are embowered in roses, and since your garage is detached it may be worth a try.

Espalier them, pulling the outer canes down to horizontal. That will encourage them to produce blooming laterals.

Because that's the way so many of the Austins grow here in SoCal. AND if you don't do this, the only blooms are 12-ft. up in the air. I am just under 5-ft-tall, so that just don't work for me!

Wow those are large!! I moved mine this spring and it punished me by sulking all - season - long. Such a moody rose ! ;)

now , would a shorter rose in front of them maybe help to cover up its awkward growth in a complimentary color ? I would also trim them down in the spring at least half way .. but they sound lovely to me. Mine is 3 years old and 3 ft tall max. Total diva here.

Maybe a pic would help us ?

I agree with horizontal training if the canes are flexible. Are your plants grafted, Chris, or own-root? What about yours, Lilyfinch? Maybe rootstock (or not) affects vigor? Carol

Mine is also very narrow and tall. I have mine at the end of a raised bed, although the ground continues to corner, where I have The Pilgrim. I know I could train mine laterally to the trellis to the left, I’m thinking of pruning down the more forward canes. I’m hoping they will bloom low and hide some of this “sky pencil” look. I have so many roses and other plants that need the trellises in that bed, that I’d rather not tie Queen of Sweden to one. Here is mine. It is grafted, and in blasting afternoon sun. Lisa

I've sometimes thought that I should have more Austins, especially the modern ones that are supposedly "better", until I run across threads like this. His roses seems so unpredictable, 3 feet in one climate and over 12 feet in another. At least with Pretty Jessica, Potter and Moore, Wife of Bath and Chaucer you knew what you would be getting, no matter where you lived. It seems to me that I've heard just as much about disease problems, overall, with the newer productions as I have with the older ones.

Lisa, I love that term "sky pencil".

Sky pencil is a good comparison. No rose is perfect, and I’d say this height issue is this rose’s only flaw, although it is a pretty big one. My two are on their own roots and are extremely vigorous that way. The gutter line is maybe 7ish feet off the ground, for comparison. You can see how they have obscured the trellises behind them, which I’d planned for clematis. I have to accept the blame for that though; poor plannng on my part. I guess I will try halving them I in the spring and see how they respond.

-Chris

Chris those are so beautiful. I can't get over their size ! I hope you'll spoil us with photos of the spring flush. I'm sorry you aren't happy with the size but gosh I love em

Have you thought about pegging them?

I should send you photos of my fall garden: scraggly from neglect and weathering one of the hottest Portland summers on record followed by October's soggy rain. Ick. Yours looks like heaven to me, Chris! QofS boasts one of the prettiest Austin blooms. The form and color are outstanding! Carol

Chris, I feel that way too about some of the tall roses in the front garden. They make the whole area look shapeless. Come January I'm planning on some drastic haircuts.

The only problem with keeping the long canes pruned down -- or at least, the problem we had in our coastal SoCal area (long hours of daylight) was this. No matter how low we cut them, they just stubbornly grew back up to 12-ft. or so, before blooming.

I don't in the least mind roses getting big -- but if they're going to do that, I want bloom all over them! Like this:

Gorgeous, Jeri!

What is your head to toe rose in bloom, Jeri? As Sheila noted, gorgeous! Carol

Grandmother's Hat?

Chris:

Queen of Sweden WANTS to be pruned. She doesn't want to be pegged or trained laterally. She has upright posture and would not deign to flop over a roof.

I have two hedges of Queen of Sweden and several more scattered throughout my gardens because she roots easily and is a great rose to fill in narrow spaces. I deadhead mine every week and prune once a month. And she rewards me with a continuous bloom. If you don't want to prune you will have, as someone else said, sky pencils. But she is easy to cut back and this task of love should only take a couple minutes. I don't think it's a matter at all of forcing a plant to fit a spot. Some roses just require pruning to look their best.

Best wishes!

Well pick me up off the floor and dust me off !! Whew sidos house that is magnificent!! Oh my gosh. I bet that pathway just sparkles in the spring with all the blooms. And those foxglove are magical! I'm really enjoying these photos. Thank you for sharing! Where are you located?