Mail order David Austin kept in the dark! Can it survive?

Wed May 25, 2011 7:35 pm

A friend of mine ordered a David Austin via Mail Order, but it was delayed in shipping and has arrived a bit leggy, pale and limp. Now, last time I had a similar rose, I pruned it all the way back to the wood and it's now nice and big and bushy, some 6 weeks later. I don't want to have to be so brutal with this one, so is there any chance of it surviving? I've watered it, and put it in a nice sunny spot to get some light back on it, hopefully getting the clorophyll back into touch...

any advice?