I'm no specialist in botany or anything, but I have been growing roses for years and offer these simple tips for those of you who share my love for the rose!

PLANTING:

1. The number one thing to remember is that roses love good drainage. When planting, use a soil mixture of 50% peat moss.
2. If you are transplanting, it is best to do it when the plant is dormant.

INITIAL CARE:

1. If the plant has not been pruned in the fall, do it in early spring. Each plant should have no more that 5 stems reaching out in different directions so as not to interfere with each other. Stems too close together can actually damage or kill a plant with their thorns.
2. When pruning for winter or first time in the spring, seal up the cut stems with a sealer. The spray varieties are fine.
3. Especially in spring when growth just starts, fertilize heavily. A granular mix of rose fertilizer/systemic insecticide is great.

ONGOING CARE:

Roses are really easy to care for as long as you spray and prune regularly.

1. Pruning should be done as needed. Get those dying flowers out soon so as not to weigh down or drain the plant. The main trick to pruning is to clip the stem JUST ABOVE A FIVE PETAL LEAF. With some varieties of roses, after that first spring flush, you may have to clip down pretty far. Don't be shy. DO IT!
2. Aphids and Japanese Beetles are the roses major enemies. The bad thing is that Sevin is the only thing really effective against the beetles. If you don't have a beetle problem then don't use Sevin. For other bugs, use a systemic insect spray. I use Othonex (spelling?). It is a combination systemic insect spray and fungicide. It's much better (and cheaper) to buy and spray together. If you can't fine Othonex, then Orthene is what I would use.
3. Black spot and powdery mildew will kill a rose faster than you can turn around! When you see those leaves starting to turn yellow, and you haven't been using the combination spray in #2 above, then spray with Funginex.
4. I usually fertilize about twice more in the summer (after that first spring dose). Fertilizer products will tell you to do it more often (no surprise there) but I find that my roses do fine (and I have about 50 of them).