How to Prune David Austin (English) Roses
Prune David Austin roses in late winter, reducing the plant by about one-third to a half and shaping it into a rounded framework. They flower best on a fuller structure, so prune more lightly than a hybrid tea.
English roses bred by David Austin bloom best when allowed to build a rounded, shrubby framework, so they are pruned more gently than hybrid teas. In late winter or early spring, first remove any dead, damaged, or crossing wood, then reduce the remaining healthy growth by roughly a third for a natural shape or up to a half for a more compact plant.
Cut to outward-facing buds to keep the center open. Austin climbers are treated like other climbing roses — keep the main framework and shorten the flowering side shoots. Through summer, deadhead to encourage the repeat bloom Austin roses are prized for.