Penny Lane a really good climbing Rose which has performed very well every Summer in our garden for the past eight years.

Flowers are fully double with a medium fragrance, colour starts off a honey shade then develops to a soft pink.

This repeat blooming variety has very healthy glossy dark green foliage. Surprise, surprise it was named after the street in Liverpool made famous by the Beatles.

I suppose I particulary like this one as it seems to perform well, almost regardless of the pruning method, well shall we say, within reason.

Worth mentioning, Penny lane flowers reasonably well even in a north facing position.

Height – 300cm/10ft

Hardiness – Fully hardy

Rose pruning as recommended by Cockers Roses of Aberdeen

All Hybrid Tea and Floribunda varieties should be pruned the first spring after planting, cutting them back to 3 or 4 eyes from the base, the top eyes should be pointing outwards. Pruning should be done in late February while roses planted after February should be pruned prior to planting. Climbing roses should not be pruned but simply cut back the tips about 5-7cm (2-3 in). to a bud.

Pruning in subsequent years

HYBRID TEAS In the second and subsequent years after planting, cut away all weak and unripe growths, shorten the remaining shoots to about half the length of the previous year’s growth. Keep the centre of the bush open and leave the top bud after pruning facing outwards. We strongly recommend February pruning.

FLORIBUNDAS The first pruning after planting should consist of cutting away all weak shoots and cutting healthy growth down to about 15cm (6 in) from the ground, always pruning to an outward eye. The second year prune the new 1-year old wood lightly. The 1-year wood is the main shoot from the base of the bush. Remove the flower heads and if a secondary shoot or shoots have developed just below the flower, these are shortened to 3 or 4 eyes. The older wood, which was pruned the previous year, should have made good growth and this should be shortened to about half its length. Pruning the third or succeeding years consists of cutting 1-year old wood lightly and 2-year old wood fairly hard. By pruning in this way the flowering season is prolonged and the trees maintain their natural height. This pruning should be done in February.

CLIMBING ROSES Pruning consists primarily of cutting out the dead wood and pruning to prevent over-crowding, which can be done after the plants have flowered in the summer.

When to plant bare root Roses —  Roses may be planted at any time when the weather is sufficiently fine, between the end of October and late April, provided that the soil is friable and free from frost or snow.