Examine the stalks of the rose, which are called canes, and look for any that are yellow or brown indicating that they are dead. Prune off these canes as close to the ground as possible using loppers. Locate the tallest and thickest canes, which are typically located toward the center of the plant. Prune these canes off as close to the ground as possible with the loppers to allow more light into the center of the rose.
Stand back and look for any canes that are overhanging walkways or that are wrapped around undesirable structures such as roof gutters. Cut these canes back to the desired height using hand pruners, or cut them off at the base of the plant using loppers. Examine the color of the remaining canes and look for those that are a duller color of green. Prune all of these canes back to the desired height using hand pruners, making the cut just below a set of leaves.
The Lady Banks rose does not require annual pruning. Pruning every other year is sufficient to maintain the size. Do not prune off any canes that are bright green in color. The Lady Banks rose blooms on canes that are two to three years old and if you remove these canes the plant will require two to three years to re-bloom.