To start a new rose bush from your favourite variety, snip a perfect rose along with 12in/300mm of stem that has at least five leaf-clusters. Put the stem in water immediately and leave it there for an hour or longer (up to 2 days if you want to enjoy the bloom).
Prepare a bed of soil in a sheltered, shaded spot. Dig to a depth of 18in/460mm and add 1 part builder's sand to each part of soil. To prepare the cutting for rooting, snip off the blossom and cut off the top of the stem at an angle just above a bud. Cut off the bottom of the stem at an angle just below the bottom leaf cluster. Strip off all but the topmost leaves, then dust the bottom of the cutting with powdered rooting hormone (available from most garden centres).
Plant this almost-bare stick in the prepared soil to a point just below the second leaf scar from the top. Press down the soil around the cutting, water well and cover with an inverted preserving jar. Lift the jar each day and wipe away any condensation on the inside. The appearance of a second new leaf means that the cutting has started to root. Let it grow undisturbed for 8 or 9 months before transplanting; remove the jar as soon as the cutting has rooted.
Grand Mothers Method