It sounds like you have a classic case of over-fertilization, specifically, way too much Nitrogen.  This will tend to cause all the symptoms you mentioned, and can cause small blooms (often distorted), but large green leaves.  In addition, the next extreme is that stems become bean-stalks, but with small and deformed new leaflets at the tops of the stems.  And at that stage you may see "vegetative centers" in blooms.  These are blooms that have a green growth in the center of the bloom- usually seen on blooms with many petals in the open bloom stage (like Austin English roses).  Your only two recourses are to wait, and dilute.  Time will solve the problem- but if you used granular fertilizer it may take several weeks.  Removing granular that is still on the soil surface is time-consuming, but helpful. If the problem was caused by liquid fertilizer, that is more transient and may be assisted by Lots of plain watering.

I'd take a soil sample and take/send to the Agricultural Experiment Station (New Haven or Windsor), to confirm.  You should not have to fertilize again this summer.

Dr. Rose! Dr. Rose!:
Q: I have read that newly-planted bare root roses should be covered with soil for the first couple of weeks.   WHY?

A:  This is usually very important.  And most CR's will preach it strongly, especially when the weather is Hot after the new rose is planted.  And in some cases (Northeast in late March 2007, when the weather is abnormally DRY [9% humidity in Hartford, I understand}.  The underlying reason is that new bare root roses have no established feeder-root system.  Those big roots you see are like arteries and veins, but they are useless without capillaries (those tiny, fragile feeder-roots).  The plant cannot properly take up either nutrients or adequate water until they grow in and become nestled in the soil properly (that is why you water newly planted roses so thoroughly- to get the soil next to the roots, instead of air).  Since there is little water going up the stems from the roots,  and since there is still some escape of water from the stem to the atmosphere (aggravated by hot, dry conditions), you want to keep damp soil (or a paper bag) around the stems for a while.  When the stems produce leaflets, this is a sign that some feeder roots are established... you can remove the covering (but still best to keep direct sun and hot/dry conditions at bay for a bit longer.  This is an important planting step.  Those who have planted roses very successfully when ignoring this step have been lucky, not skillful.

Dr. Rose! Dr. Rose!:
Q: I have read about the Bayer Advanced Garden Product called All-in One, 3-in-1, 2-in-1, and others.  I'm confused.  Are these products as complete as they say?  Which does what?

Ans:  Yes, the Bayer line of products has quite confusing labels.  This is even worse when you go to the Garden Store to purchase and some of the products are not on the shelves for direct comparison.  The store literature is not always available, as well.  Many rose societies have reported very good results with these products.  In general they are more 'modern' (aka Advanced) than some of the legacy products by Ortho/Scotts.  You should go to the Bayer website for a detailed comparison.  Specifically: http://www.bayeradvanced.com/productFamily/rose-and-flower-care.html.

Some overview and personal pointers/thoughts on these products:
    The liquid concentrate, Disease Control for Roses, Flowers & Shrubs, mixes with water and is a systemic spray for the leaves.  It has received high marks from rosarians who have used it.
    2-in-1 Systemic Rose and Flower Care is a granular product that is sprinkled on the ground around the bush. It fertilizes and systemically treats for insects, and mites.  It does NOT treat for diseases. Some rosarians say that at the recommended dose the fertilization rate is too low to be used alone, especially in the south where the plants stay large longer.  In addition, it treats for insects in advance of infestation (although systemically, not being sprayed).  Most recommend dealing with bugs only when needed.  You still need another product (see above) for disease.   
    3-in-1 Insect, Disease and Mites-  note this is not a continuation beyond 2-in-1, it is DIFFERENT.  It is a spray (concentrate to mix with water of ready to use in spray bottles for small gardens).  It does Not fertilize, as does 2-in-1.  This may be what you need to treat for aphids, then caterpillars, then Japanese beetles all the while treating for disease.  You apply fertilizer separately, but this is often preferred by rosarians (where a small mixed flower bed may be looking for an easier solution, without any spraying (2-in-1 and live with disease on perennials).
    ALL-in-ONE  is fertilizer (but maybe not enough, alone), disease and insect killer.  All systemic.  It is a liquid concentrate that is mixed with water and applied to the base of the plant (no spraying).  Works some, and is very easy, but the tradeoff is that it is not AS effective as the specialized products, in some rosarian's opinions).  HOWEVER, not everyone wants to live in the garden with complex schedules of treatments and sprays. And!  many of the modern rose shrubs, floribundas (and to an extent other newer roses) are more disease resistant than in the past (due to smart hybridizers) and a more moderate plant treatment regime can be successful!  Many new rosarians in the South are leaning to less demanding roses and less work to all for more fun!!!  Probably this is true in New England as well. 

This will help clarify your quest for the Perfect Rose treatment, as available from Bayer.  My discussion is brief, be sure to go to the Bayer website for more details.

Everything said above is based on a 'relatively' small garden- say less than 25 plants.  If you have a large garden, the Bayer products can be very expensive.  If you have more than 50 roses or so, then very concentrated products such as Compass and Banner Maxx (disease) and Merit (TM) (insect control) make much more financial sense.  My buddy, Robbie Tucker, does the math nicely about once per year in his Infomercial advertisement in The American Rose magazine.  The products I just listed come in rather large containers, and so they can make a double-lifetime supply for a small garden- thus are economical for big gardens.

Dr. Rose!  Dr. Rose!:
  We are members of the CT Rose Society although as yet we have not been able to attend any meetings.

Ans:  Good Job!!  those that stayed in the south don't have quite the problem that y'all who moved North do- nasty winters.  Your plan is sound, assuming that the pots you are using are really large.  The goal is not to prevent freezing, it is to significantly reduce the freeze/thaw cycles (in frequency, but particularly magnitude)  and to prevent dehydration caused by wind.  The unheated garage does both. From a medical point of view, the temperature swings and dehydration are similar to the nasty effects of frostbite on humans.  With people, however, the situation is much more complicated with blood circulation.  For roses, the internal cells build up the equivalent of antifreeze slooowly as winter sets in, so as to prepare the plant for the winter struggle.  Wildly cycling temperatures give mixed signals to the plant.  Result: not good.
Do provide some water periodically, but this is just to reduce dehydration, not promote growth.  No need to water a block of ice-bound roots.  And no overly warm water, please.  And don't be in a hurry to bring the pots out in March for the first warm days in 'spring'. 

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    A- There are several reasons to prune down to a 5-leaf cluster of leaves.  Biggest is to provide the 'average' rose the opportunity to grow a sufficiently strong stem to support the next flush of blooms.  If you just deadhead you may well end up with thin stems and 'nodding' blooms the next go round. 
    That said, for a New Rose you may want to be less aggressive than the 5-leaflet guidance to allow more leaves to produce stronger plant and roots before the onset of the first winter.  Emphasis on building a stronger plant, less emphasis on thick stems low on the plant.
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    A-  Sounds like your book may be for much warmer climes.  3 ft. centers are nice, but usually 2 ft. will do in the NE for HTs.  Known BIG HTs will do better with 3 ft.  Floribundas and shrubs (when not intended to be a hedge) will do better at 3 ft or so.  Too many in a bed, of for a hedge is not usually a problem, BUT: you will have to pay More attention to them since there is less air circulation which aggravates disease (consider the high incidence of staph infections and pneumonia for those during a hospital stay), and there is greater competition for Water!  and nutrients.  A park like EP looks much better with concentrated plants and blooms.  They have to work somewhat harder at maintenance.
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