Andi - LOLLLLL.. you ain't got no mountains!! JK JK JK!!
Polly - Main thing is to mulch mulch mulch mulch mulch and mulch. And then when you're done mulching, mulch some more. Pile the mulch up into domes over the roses & you won't have any problems.. in fact, when the mulch breaks down over time, it just adds nutrients back to the soil!
I second Bucks roses. They're gorgeous & pretty hardy if you can find them. If you're up to it, Roses Unlimited (
http://rosesunlimitedownroot.c...) has some WONDERFUL roses. They don't do well for me personally because of my drought here, but with you in NY that will hardly be a problem at all. They have a massive selection grown own-root, but the only bad thing is that their website is not very shopper-friendly (no pictures).
http://rosesunlimitedownroot.c... is their list, and it shows who hybridizes the rose, the color, & type of rose. You can give them a call & the young lady who answers is very very nice & will be happy to help you make an order. They charge like $16-$20/rose plus a shipping fee on top of that, but their selection is amazing & their roses, if you can get them to grow, are outstanding. I *LOVE* RU roses. They'll probably be one of the best bets for your area. Here's a thread I made of an order I received from Pat & CO at Roses Unlimited.
The thread "Roses Unlimited does it again!" in
Roses forum
