If it was mine I would cut it down to about 2 feet. Then keep it watered, and do not feed it or spray it until it starts putting out new growth, which could take several weeks. If it is very sunny, give it some shade with shade cloth or something. Good Luck!

Jackie

I moved my Peggy Martin a few years ago. It was about 6' tall with about half a dozen canes. Didn't cut it back at all ... gathered the canes up and tied them with bungie cords so it was easier to get to the base to dig it up. I got a decent sized rootball, which fell apart as soon as I got it out of the hole. Got frustrated and dragged the rose to the new hole, planted it, watered it, and walked away. Kept it watered, when it didn't rain to do the job for me. Only one of the canes died ... the others wilted a bit but recovered.

The moral of this story is .... I tend to cut back roses that I'm moving only because it's safer to work with smaller thorny roses. Peggy is thornless so this wasn't a consideration. I prefer to let the rose decide if I've left enough roots to support the amount of top growth. Any canes that wilt and get crispy are obviously unsupported by roots below are removed. Haven't yet lost a rose by doing it this way.

One word of caution: Peggy will probably grow back in the original location from root suckers. This is why I now have TWO Peggy Martin roses.