The thin, hardened main stems that exist now have a limited potential for growth, so they don't need any training. Vigorous growth will come on fat new shoots from the base, maybe next year, that will grow right past the plant as it exists now. So your instinct was right--you should just let it grow for the time being.

I hope the planting area has some depth, because bushy DE is not going to submit to a two-dimensional existence.

If you are serious about this, I'd start now by selecting a couple of canes and cutting off everything else. When those are tall enough, tie them to the wire, select laterals, and prune off everything else. Be very strict with it, and plan on pruning severely often.

Basically, I don't think you will be able to keep it controlled without a serious effort. You won't kill it with heavy pruning, so it will still be around when you realize the beast it truly is.

LOL! Oh, no... you're saying I was going for vigorous and easy to grow, and ended up with the jolly green giant?? I can always transplant them in the Fall, if they're truly not well-suited for their location. They do have some room to roam, but at the expense of our already smallish front yard. We have an area east of the house that would accommodate larger shrubs, maybe I'll do that. Any suggestions for more easily trained beasties? Requirements are tolerance to heat, humidity (now gardening in Tulsa, not NM) and heavy clay, disease resistance, and NOT pink. Got orange brick and I think pink would look awful.

pharm--yes, 'Darlow's Enigma' wants to be maybe 10x10--somebody should post a picture. Great plant, though.

How tall/wide is the space on the brick wall where you would like to grow roses trained on wires? How much space between the wall and traffic?

anything with Wichurana is always good since they tend to have flexible canes. DE on the other hand, is a beautiful monster - certainly nothing like a Kiftsgate or Lady Banks or Seagull.....but up there with generous proportions and, as Michael states, absolutely unwilling to submit to being wall-trained or shaped in any way - it is a very twiggy but utterly gorgeous shrub rose which will support itself (albeit in a large area). You really do not want to be battling to train, shape or diminish this rose - move them now while tiny and give them the freedom to stretch themselves out - despite their size and vigour, they still embody a certain airy elegance more in keeping with the wildlings rather than more formal highly bred roses.
Not available in the UK, I had to cough up large sums of money for this (mainly postage, mind).....but I will be rooting it with abandon and sharing it freely (we have very different copyright laws here).

My at least 7 year old DE for the first time had serious winter damage (it was brutal here in southwest NH - even all the thyme on the shoveled paths died, while the thyme with snow cover made it.)
anyway, I had to prune DE down very hard even to reach the dead canes on the interior. It is in a south/southwest sheltered corned, with deck on one side and exterior wall on the other. It has FILLED its corner, and after the pruning it is still about 5' tall and at least 3' across.
I would not recommend using it in any spot that needs specific dimensions and obedience. It would be great for a thorny back hedge to keep out wandering dogs and/or kids.
I have it close to the house because I didn't know how enthusiastic it would be, but also because I heard that it smells great. Some years yes, some years no, I don't know why the fragrance isn't consistent.

{{gwi:276300}}

Darlow's Enigma before it leafs out in the spring. We try to keep old wood cleared out because the center can get incredibly congested otherwise.

Thanks, all, for the help. And the photo - wow, that's a big rose. Here's a pic of our front yard, and that terrible retaining wall. There's actually plenty of room for these roses to be as big as they want to be, it's just a question of how much yard we want to sacrifice.

One approach to softening the wall would be to plant weepy things above it, roses and other stuff, if there is planting space up there. Or you could put a row of 5x5 shrub roses at the foot.