Winter protection is certainly a key issue.
Roses vary remarkably in their ability to withstand cold.
Grafted roses are particularly susceptible to winter injury. If the top part of the rose is lost to winter damage, we lose the rose we purchased. If covering roses is one chore too many, look for roses that are not grafted. Or select some of the super hardy roses such as those out of the Explorer or Parkland series bred in Canada. Winter protection is actually a year around activity.