Question
Hi Lynnette, my aunt gave me a potted up cutting, two years ago, of her Cecile Brunner, the first species of plant I ever fell in love with, way back when I was a child. I have given it pride of place against a sunny wall in my garden and it has dutifully sprouted leaves and climbing canes fiercely. It is the second year in the ground and now covers the whole wall. Only it has never flowered. I thought that the first year it may have been too busy making roots and stalks to put out flowers but this year, it has also not a single bud on the entire plant. For food it has had a horse manure mulch over winter and then a dose of chicken poo in early spring. Every other rose in my garden loves this menu, except the sweetheart rose. Can you tell me why my Cecile Brunner will not flower? Joanne

Answer
The answer is easy, you are being too kind to the rose. Chinas will grow like mad if you are kind to them and simply forget about flowering. Next spring, no fertilizer, especially horse manure, just water. Usually it can take three years before a rose of this type will flower. If it is the bush  Cecile Brunner, than it will be covered with flowers. The climber can take longer to bloom, and it only blooms once and you won't get a lot of flowers. Once the bush flowers, you can go back to being kind.