Rose Classification
I am very confused about the types of roses that are available, such as grandifloras, floribundas, and so on. Can you help end this confusion?
I can try. The American Rose Society puts roses under three broad categories:  Species Rose, Old Garden Roses, and Modern Roses. Classification of roses began in 1867 so any variety developed after this date is considered a Modern Rose and this includes Hybrid Teas, Floribundas, Grandiflora, Climbers, Miniatures, Polyanthas, Ramblers, Shrub Roses, and Tree Roses. Today, Modern Roses are bred for hardiness, color, fragrance, and other traits. 
Old Garden Roses and Species Roses are long-lived, low maintenance roses with good disease resistance. This group includes the old China Teas, Bourbons, Albas, Damask, Gallica, Moss, Noisette, and Species Roses, plus a few others. Some roses that were discovered or hybridized after 1867 are still classified as Old Garden if they belong to a class of roses that predates the Hybrid Tea. Species are the roses that develop characteristics or traits not found in others of the family.
A Hybrid Tea was developed as a cross between a hybrid perpetual and the China Tea rose, both old roses. These are the long-stemmed beauties we all desire in bouquets.
Grandiflora is a cross between a Hybrid Tea and a Floribunda. These roses inherited the best of both parents.
Floribunda roses have lots of blooms. The Floribunda was developed from a cross between a Hybrid Tea rose and a Polyantha rose.
Polyantha roses are compact, hardy plants that produce clusters of roses continuously. 
Shrub Roses are just that, a shrub full of blooms. This class is divided into several subclasses. 
Climbers came from Old Garden Roses and Species Roses that had long arching canes.
Ramblers were the forerunners of Climbers. They are descended mostly from multiflora and climbing/creeping wichuraiana roses. Ramblers are very large, hardy roses that bloom once in the summer. It is very difficult to find a rambler on the market today but many are still seen on old homesteads or in old cemeteries.  Miniatures are specialty roses that resemble Hybrid Teas or Floribundas, but are petite versions; they make excellent houseplants.
Tree roses are produced by grafting together plants with sturdy roots, straight stems, and pleasing flowers. Tree roses are not very hardy because of the grafting.
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Rose Leafhopper
There is a white bug jumping around my rose bushes that I can’t seem to trap. The rose bush leaves have spots that you can almost see through.  Are the bug and the leaf damage connected?
Yes, they are. You have rose leafhopper (Edwardsiana rosae). Use a systemic insecticide to control these pests. 
The eggs winter over on rose canes or apple tree bark. Once warm spring weather arrives the young crawl out to settle on the undersides of leaves where they feed by sucking the sap, causing those translucent white to light tan spots on the leaves. As the insects mature, the females produce a second generation but this time the eggs are left on the rose and apple leaveds. The hatchlings from this generation feed until fall and then the next batch of are laid to winter over.
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Rose Leaves Yellowing
My rose bush leaves are turning yellow. The only green is stripes opposite the middle of each leaf. There is some brown spots on them as well. What is the problem?
That sounds like a nitrogen deficiency and it starts on the older leaves. You need to have the soil checked for acidity. If the pH is below 5.6 this problem can occur and you will need to apply lime in amounts the test results recommend. Also, a nigh nitrogen fertilizer won’t hurt as long as it isn’t lawn fertilizer. A foliar feeding of half strength plant food won’t hurt as long as it isn’t applied in full sun. The limestone addition would add the trace element magnesium which, when deficient, can cause leaf yellowing from the center outward. Magnesium can be incorporated by sprinkling one-half cup of Epson Salts around the base of the plant.
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Rose Slug
The leaves on my rose bush are all tan and very thin, I can see through them. What is wrong?
The rose slug, which is really the larvae of a sawfly, has attacked your plant. The black and yellow adult lays eggs in the spring between the bottom and top layer of the leaves. Some of these larva appear slimy, hence the name slug. The adult is yellowish green, almost translucent, and you can see that it has ingested the leaves by the dark green areas. By feeding on the soft tissue of the leaves and leaving the veins they create a skeletonized leaf that soon turns brown. After maturing, the rose slug drops to the ground, buries into the soil, and pupates. Some varieties emerge and repeat the cycle while others overwinter in the soil. As soon as you see the leaves being turned into skeletons, begin a control program using B.t.k (Bacillus thruingiensis var. kurstaki) for caterpillars or pick off them off by hand.
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Rose Stem Sawfly
Last year there was an insect that looked like a yellow jacket that ate the canes of my roses. This spring I have already noticed them again. What are they and how do I get rid of them?
If the body is black with yellow bands it is a rose shoot sawfly (Hartigia trimaculata; also known as rose stem-boring sawfly. The larva overwinters in old canes and the adults emerge in the spring. Females insert eggs into the tissues at the tip of new growth and upon hatching the larvae will enter the stem to feed. This causes the canes to wilt and often break. There can be two generations per year. To rid your roses of this pests use a systemic insecticide.
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Spring Planting
Help! I ordered some roses and they just arrived but the ground is covered with snow and it is frozen. What do I do?
I know just what you are experiencing. Obviously it's going to be awhile before they can be planted so if they have been shipped bare rooted and they are wrapped in plastic, make sure they are moist and they can stay in a cool, dark place inside the shipping box for up to three weeks. Alternatively, unwrap them carefully and place in a bucket with enough water to cover the roots. Then, find a cool spot to keep them but not where they will freeze. . If the water starts to look stagnant or slimy, change it right away. The plants may slowly began to break dormancy and perhaps even develop a lot of extra roots but they should survive My old cellar stays around 55 degrees and last year I kept roses in a tub of water for six weeks.
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Winter Protection
How can I protect my roses for the winter?
It depends on the type of rose. Hybrid teas need more protection than other types but all can benefit with some form of protection. As with all plants, keep them watered until the ground is frozen and, to reduce stress, don't fertilize after August. For teas, floribundas, and grandifloras, trim them back to anywhere from 18 inches to 3 feet after the first good, hard frost and tie the taller canes together to prevent damage from wind. Next, mound soil around the base - at least a foot high and wide. This will give them at least minimum protection. You can also place a wire cage around them and fill this with leaves or other mulch. Some folks use inverted baskets or wrap their roses in burlap. This is fine as long as some type of mulch is placed inside.

If you have climbers, lay the canes on the ground and cover them with a few inches of soil. Or, you can tie the canes together and curl them up beneath a mulch covering. Most important, make sure the base of all roses have protection. There are old varieties, like the rambles, you may see along the side of the road, sprawling over a stone wall or climbing up a tree, that survive winters without any protection at all. If you ever examine them closely you'll notice that their bases are buried beneath layers of accumulated leaves and other forest floor litter.

Whatever you do, don't prune until spring - when the forsythias bloom.
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