Question
I live in the very northern tip of Utah and want to plant a good hardy purple rose, probably bare root. Is it too late, what rose would you suggest and when should I do it. Is it okay to keep the house over winter for the first winter?

Answer
The Utah Rose Society has a website that's right up your alley:

http://utahroses.tripod.com/

Best part is their 'Ask A Rosarian' section.  Rose-lovers are generous with their advice and recommendations.  I could give you a lot of theoretical wisdom on how to get violet Roses (which tend to be terribly fickle) to grow and bloom where you live.  I am alas only a Long Island Gardener; while much of what I do, and what I know, applies almost everywhere, this would be better answered by a Utah Rose Society Rosarian who can share their own secrets.  Contact information for several volunteers is posted there.

Of the Purple Roses their members have success with, the short list includes BARBRA STREISAND ('mauve' purple Tea Rose, and I can tell you it is voluptuously fragrant), FRAGRANT PLUM (another of my favorites, a Grandiflora), PURPLE TIGER (a fragrant Floribunda striped pink and purple), ESCAPADE (lightly fragrant with small flowers, Shrub Rose), INCOGNITO (a miniature Rose with unusual purple/pink petals reversing to gold/cornflower) and REINNE DES VIOLETTES (a violet-magenta Shrub Rose that has been around for centuries).

As a local Rosarian has suggested, I hasten to urge you to select for disease resistance for these.  Roses are a demanding garden plant -- but you can ease up on the workload if the Roses are able to do most of the heavy lifting to fight blackspot and mildew.

Finally, are you suggesting that you would not plant your  Rosebush yet --  you want to keep it indoors?  For many reasons, this seems like a great idea.  But it is a very bad idea.  Roses need to be cold during the winter.  Maybe not as cold as your Utah winters.  But they won't get it -- I don't think -- in your house, either.  Pick a Rose that will be right at home where you are growing them, through the worst winters.  There are exercises to protect your shrubs -- you'll get those from the Rose Society, but I'm also happy to put them up here if you would like that.  Keep your Roses outside and plant them correctly for best results.

Thanks for writing.