Make a ridge or series of mounds 4-6 above grade (after settling) to deal with the moisture problem. Pink Gruss an Aachen is notably shade-tolerant. It makes a dense shrubby small plant that would look nice in a hedge-like row. The old-fashioned flowers are pretty and suitable for cutting. I doubt it would reach 3' wide in zone 5. Or instead of the Buck roses that have been suggested, I'd choose Earth Song. Mine wants to be wider than 3', but it is smaller than Carefree Beauty or Country Dancer. It has exceptional disease resistance and strong, fast repeat. I don't know about 4 hours of sun, but it does well with my 5-6 hours.

mzstitich, I just measured my Home Runs--4 ft and a couple inches apart (center to center). One of the bushes is a couple years older than the others--it is about 4.5 ft tall. The others are right at 4 ft or closely approaching 4 ft. Having looked at them today in the daylight, I'd guess I'd never plant them closer together than 3 ft (center to center). Home Run is an exceptionally healthy bush, but crowding roses too closely together runs the risk of making them susceptible to blackspot and other leaf diseases--though HR would probably be much more resistant than most roses. But I wouldn't want to take a chance. I think the 3 ft centers would make them look quite continuous after they had 3-4 years growth on them. But do plan on placing them 2.5-3 ft from the side of your house. That will look like too much space when you first put in the young roses, but in 3-4 years, they will easily fill up most of that space, and it won't hurt them to have a bit of breathing room back there anyway. Don't know if I would recommend planting them closer together in order to make them grow taller--for some of the reasons given above. But maybe some other posters have different experiences as far as that goes. Do let us see pics next spring. Kate

I have this beauty from my neighbor. The rose was dying in her garden this past spring. Had absolutely no feeding roots when I dug it out. There was no growth from the bud union but the bud union did not look dead. I planted 'it' in large pot and shortly after that was rewarded with this gorgeous rose. Right now it is about 4' high and 4' wide. Lots and lots of canes and the blooms just keep coming. Awesome rose. I don't have slightest idea what is this rose, my only guess is that it is some kind of OGR.

So I'm answering this as if I know anything about climbers. Almost none of my attempts have worked well. But here's what I learned. In order to be a great climber I believe they need to have surviving cane. Something about that surviving cane that produces more blooming laterals in the following years. I'm not sure if I'm right or even how to explain it but my climbers were always regrowing instead of building a structure. Does that make since? Just seems as if they need to be hardier than zone5 for me if they were going to be any thing more than a giant shrub. Maybe even zone3. Just clobber me with a wet noodle if I'm way off base.