Question
My mother had this rosebush for 20 some years. Beautiful blooms in spring an summer. In 2007 after my parents passed it was blooming less roses. Some one told me to cut it back, I did now it hasn't bloomed. It is not black in color on the branches they are still brown. Please help me figure out how to make it bloom again?

Answer
When you cut an old rose back sometimes it will put it under stress for a while. Especially if your spring was a cold one. Seven Sisters is a very hardy and long lived rose so I don't think that your cutting it back will really harm it. This rose blooms on the wood it made the year before. That means it made the flowers last year and they will bloom this year. So you may have cut off the new flowers. Next spring it will come back again and flower for you so I really wouldn't worry about your rose.