Question
Hello! I had a beautiful rose bush with pink blooms that smelled very nice.  Last year instead of coming up those beautiful pink, fragranced roses, I got what seemed to be the typical red cluster rose bush.  I'm sorry I don't know much about roses so I don't know the correct name for them.  Can you tell me if you have ever heard of a rose bush changing breeds?  I did check and there is only one bulb at the base for the branches to come out of.  Help.  Thanks.

Answer
Most Roses today are come with built-in root grafts attaching an old, strong Rambler Rose named Dr Huey (www.ph-rose-gardens.com/00704.htm).  When a bitter cold winter comes along, the more fragile blooming Rose may be wiped out.  But the tougher Dr Huey roots survive, and in spring they bloom.  It's a common occurrence.  When it happens, we say the Rose has 'reverted'.  Sounds like your problem to me.  See the photo:

http://www.helpmefind.com/rose/pl.php?n=1550

Remember, grafting a pretty but fragile Rose raises the odds that a delicate variety will get through a Winter that's too cold otherwise.  But if the Winter is REALLY cold, and the whole top is killed, the bottom may bloom if it survives.  It's not changing breeds, but it sure does look that way, doesn't it?  The Roses are completely changed.

Next time you get a beautiful Rose like the one you had, give it the red carpet treatment in the Fall and protect it from the worst winter weather.  That way your biggest problem will be suckers from the rootstock.  Not the complete transformation into a Rose you probably would have not selected to replace your pink, highly fragranced Roses that you planted.

With that, I say, Welcome to the club, Paula!  Thanks for writing.  Sorry for the bad news, but hopefully some better Rose growing will follow.  Keep in touch.