Roses are beautiful flowers and are one of the most popular flower choices. However, if you grow them in your garden they do have to be pruned annually. Here is a list of a few simple steps to take in order to achieve healthy roses.

1. Keep an eye on your roses. Usually they need to be pruned in early spring, however, if they have already started to flower then wait till after the roses have flowered. If they haven't flowered early then the best time to start pruning is when the buds have swelled to a reddish colour.
   


2. Make sure that your tools are clean and sharp. The best tools to use would be bypass pruners and lopping shears and for extra safety, make sure to wear garden gloves to protect your hands from thorns. All of these products can be bought from your local garden centre, if you don't already have them.


3. Start to tidy up your roses by clearing away any leaves or rubbish that could help to attract insects to your roses.
   


4. Cut away dead wood first. To help distinguish between live and dead wood: live wood will be white on the inside whereas dead wood is black.
   


5. If your roses have a lot of branches, start to cut away wood that is extremely thin. You may also wish to cut branches that rub against one another as these can causes diseases to your roses.
   


6. A good reference for your branches to is to create the bigger sturdy branches into a vase-shape. This can be done with 4 to 6 big branches that are remaining. This vase shape will help your roses to grow healthier with minimum risk of disease.
   


7. Your plant height may also need adjusting. To make pruning easier each year, reduce plant height by 1/3. Depending on weather you may wish to reduce even more. Vary plant height accordingly.Start to cut the outside bud of roses. Cut each rose at a 45-degree angle that slopes in to the centre of the bush. Cut all others in exactly the same way. This will allow your roses to grow inwards which will be good for circulation and allows for a good shape.
   

Pruning is not difficult when it has been done right. With this simple guide, you should achieve a healthy set of flowers, year upon year. Happy Pruning!