Extra thorny roses

Peanuts3

I really do apologise if this is a daft question. 

When I planted my David Austin Gertrude Jekyll and Harlow Carr roses, they didn't seem too thorny, but now the stems are absolutely cover in thorns. 

Is there a reason for this ?  Is it something I'm doing wrong ? I've planted roses previously and the same thing happened, so I'm thinking it might be something I'm doing.

Any advice ? 

Made the mistake of clearing underneath the rose and got a loads of thorns stuck in my head, not a good time.  Two weeks later I was still finding them stuck in my head  

pansyface

Sometimes the nursery removes the thorns before they send them out to you.

My Gertrude has plenty to say for herself when I get too close

Busy-Lizzie

Gertrude Jekyll is thorny, perhaps it wasn't at first because it was young. A Shropshire Lad is not very thorny.

Dovefromabove

Love it Edd

nutcutlet

Surely there are longer, more impressive sounding words for thorns and prickles

pansyface

No more be griev'd at that which thou hast done: roses have thorns and silver fountains mud....

Good enough for Mr Shakespeare, good enough for me.

Where's Fishy, by the way? 

Busy-Lizzie

Drat, Edd is right. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thorns,_spines,_and_prickles  I've always called them thorns and so do most of the rose sites. So did Shakespeare.

Hostafan1

OMG, I love a Pedant.

Gardenmaiden

If you want thorns, Arthur Bell is a monster.

Obelixx

Well, all I can say is that my Gertrude Jekyll is a vary prickly customer but while Kiftsgate is pretty spiky, neither is as sharp or prickly as my toothache tree which has whoppers.   Don't know its botanical name as I've lost the label but apparently the natives used it for toothache.   No idea if they're thorns or prickles either.

pansyface

Ath I athkt before, doth anyone know  where ith Mithter Fisthy theeth dayth?