Neal, I can only confirm Cindi's comment that fall planted bare root roses do much better that spring planted. The vendors here start sending out their bare root roses mid-end of October which gives them enough time to start producing roots before winter starts in earnest. Come spring they take off whereas the spring planted still have to grow roots and in most cases need a full season to catch up.
Cindi, glad I cheered you up
We are all in the same boat and experience both the good and the BAD side of growing roses even if we tend only to share the nice things.
Like Zuzu, I just cut down the bad ones if they are two big to remove all the leaves. I had to cut down my three NOID hybrid perpetuals because they had terrible rust this year - just broke my heart because they looked beautiful in June (see pic) but they have already put out new basal stems and are looking much better now.
