Move roses or take cuttings?

Everdeen

I'd like some opinions please.....I want to transplant a few very overgrown roses from my late mother's, once beautiful, garden across to my own garden as a little memory of her (the house is about to be sold for redevelopment so the buyers don't mind me taking some plants). 

The problem is the garden has been neglected as it was rented out for several years and it has been overtaken with ground elder (my mother fought a constant battle with the stuff!).  I wonder if I can dig-up the (overgrown) roses and pick out/wash off the ground elder roots before potting them up for the winter, until I'm ready to plant them in my own garden. Or should I take cuttings?  Is this the right time of year for taking cuttings?

I really don't want to introduce ground elder to my garden but I would like to have some roses to remember my mother by, she loved roses and had some real beauties!.....

I'd be very grateful to hear what people would do in this situation.

Thank you for reading.

Wilderbeast

Hi Everdeen You could dig them up and then keep in a pot and then take cuttings when it's a better time. It may not be too late for them if hurry 

Marlorena

I would take cuttings and dig them up... when removing you should reduce the plant by about half in any case so you might as well use those as cuttings..... you don't need to get all the roots out, as long as you have some,... you can sever the rest if it proves difficult...

Guernsey Donkey2

I agree with Marlorena - I would cut your late mother's roses down by at least half - it is the correct time of year to take cuttings so I would also suggest you take as many cuttings as you can - there is plenty of advice on here or google for the correct way to take the cuttings.  I would also dig up and pot up the established roses once you have cut them down by half, and plant them out in your garden soon or in early Spring.  You are sure to have some successes by following this course of action. Wash the roots of the established roses and pick off any elder or other weeds in the process.

I took some rose cuttings just 2 weeks ago following my successes with previous rose cuttings in 2018.

Everdeen

Thank you everyone, that's great advice!  I will cut them back and make some cuttings from the trimmings, dig them up, wash the roots and then pot them up!  Thank you for the Monty Don video too - very helpful!