Question
Hi LIG. I think you have some really good answers here. I hope you can help me.

I know roses need a lot of sun. I have a little sun. There is a little more shade than I would like but if you can recommend a good rose for this problem I would appreciate it.  We have purchased a beautiful home and the first thing I want to do is plant roses. I have never grown them before. But I am willing to learn.  Also since we have 2 dogs right now, and I am hoping we will also have a family in the future, and I don't care how much extra it costs, I would like to know all about how to do this organically.  It's very important to me.  Please help me.  

Answer
Roses don't do well in shade.

But some do better than others in partial shade.  You don't want to just grow your roses -- you want them to bloom.  

Mme. Isaac Pereire (Bourbon, 1881) is a superb, shade-tolerant, fragrant beauty covered with quartered, vivid pink blooms every June.  

Mme Louise Odier (Bourbon, 1851) is a bright, deep pink with exquisite fragrance.  

Mme Plantier (Alba, 1835) is on every list of shade Roses.  It's a pure white quartered beauty (see  w3.goodnews.net/~kkrugh/rose/rose2/mme_plantier.htm  for a great photo) with great fragrance and stunning for cutting indoors.  

Fantin-Latour (Centifolia), a shell pink real Cabbage Rose with incredible fragrance, the old quartered design that is so popular with David Austin Roses fans.  

Playboy (1976, Floribunda) is a rich golden yellow/orange workhorse.  It is somewhat delicate and high maintenance, but it will bloom through it all.  

A longer list is posted by a Rosarian at www.mgs.md.gov/mdrose/docs/shade_roses.pdf#search='roses%20shade' but unfortunately I am not familiar with most of the varieties it mentioned as shade types of roses.  

If not locally, you can order several of these roses from Avagara Heirloom Roses(www.avagara.com/gardHOGR) or Otto and Sons (www.ottoandsons-nursery.com/rose-pages/anthony_meilland.htm).  Excellent photos of many are posted at HelpMeFind (http://www.helpmefind.com/rose) and Roses (www.rose-roses.com/rosepages).  Note that Bare-root Roses arrive in crisis mode and I recommend buying Potted Roses whenever you have a choice.  

Don't forget to prepare the holes before you plant.  The quality of that soil will determine whether or not you still have Roses a year from now.  Let me know if you need guidance with that.  Thanks for writing.