Question
Last fall my roses lost all their leaves except for a few at their shoot tips.  Ideas on cause and/or prevention?

Answer
The bottom leaves of a rose are the first to grow in the spring and so they are the oldest. The rose always drops it's oldest laves first. The top growth is the newest and so stays on the plant until the last. Roses alway benefit from dropping their leaves and having a dormant period. It makes for a stronger and healthier rose bush.