I have grown a lot of roses over the years then stopped adding new ones as the older ones died or were shovel pruned due to diseases. A couple years ago I began adding David Austin's English roses to my garden. They are more disease resistant than other roses and so far I have been quite happy with the results. I have Graham Thomas, Heritage and Sharifa Asma. Graham Thomas is not fragrant but very heat tolerant. Heritage and Sharifa Asma are very fragrant.

I had not sprayed my garden at all until last summer and the summer before last when we were swamped with cucumber beetles. There were fewer of these beetles on the Austin roses than other roses & plants.

I use Neem spray. It seemed to slow down the beetles somewhat.

Here is a link that might be useful: David Austin Roses

Try Bonica, I have had one for ten years now with absolutely no disease problems and I don't/won't spray. It has pink flowers in abundance and has nice hips in the winter.
To me most rose bushes aren't much in the looks department but for their flowers. This one has a very nice habit and would make a nice hedge or specimen.
The only drawback is that the blooms aren't very fragrant, but they still look great in a bud vase.

Here's a nice picture of the flowers.

Here is a link that might be useful: bauerphoto

I love my Sunsprite. A beautiful nice yellow rose. Has a good scent, blooms all summer and is very hardy here. I don't spray either and haven't had any blackspot on it, even though I did have a rose next to it that had it. I've had this one for 7 yrs.

Kat

Well if she likes flowers, I would recommend the Fairy line. They are small, but very flower filled, bloom all summer. I have had the pink, am trying the white. Red is supposed to be very pretty.

My Fairy grew tremedously over the summer. I kept it trimmed back with snipping branch ends every couple weeks. It grew quickly, did have quite a few thorns. It is a short bush but will spread very wide if not trimmed off. I think it would be very rewarding for a beginner with roses. Didn't seem to have any problems.

I am trying another small bush, Cupcake. Pretty little pink flowers, almost no thorns. I just got it this fall, so not any experience with it yet. I will get another if it does well, I love thornless roses.

I would check out greatlakesroses.com. Great Lakes Roses is in the Ann Arbor area. They don't ship, but if they grow something, it's for our climate. Lots of good info.
I went there last June. Heaven must smell like their rose farm. Bought a couple of the park series roses (Yellowstone, etc.) Love 'em. P.S., I'd much rather buy from a local grower.
People in the higher zones start buying up roses from the mail order companies in January. By the time we Zone 5ers can buy, what do you think is left?
I'd rather support my local nurseries. Besides, it's easier to get them to listen to a complaint if you're standing in front of them. Also, I'd rather choose my own rose, not leave it to someone else. My 2 cents. K.