The rose from the Knock Out family that is deep clear red is called "Home Run" My Knock Outs and Home Run have very lush foliage. I can't think of any other kind of shrub with clear red flowers that would bloom as long as those roses would. I have a Red Prince Weigela that blooms really bright clear red but it only blooms in the Spring time.

There are some quite red Canadian Explorer series cultivars. Other extra hardy and/or disease resistant introductions are also on the market. Due probably to a falling off in interest from the general consumer in what has become seen as too fussy or delicate of a (rose) plant commercial breeders are coming up with new ones that aren't so likely to be spoiled by leaf fungi. In the past hybridizing with disease resistance in mind has not been the norm, resulting in thousands of disease-susceptible cultivars.

Hibiscus maybe? I know nothing about them, but they can bloom deep red.

Hibiscus moscheutos certainly does produce leaves giving a similar general appearance to those of Bigleaf Hydrangea. It dies down during winter but except for those kinds sporting persistent fruits hybrid bush roses etc. don't have much going on then either. And the summer appearance is shrub-like, with quite large and conspicuous flowers.

One of my fav nurseries swears by Winnepeg Parks rose. Guy always pushes those over knockout due to their hardiness. If roses are put in the right condition they will be lush...full sun, moist but not wet soil.

I wouldn't suggest boxwoods in front of the roses. The boxwoods have form and structure...use them as a backdrop/fondation. The roses are more informal and should be used in front of them, plus why would you want to hide the color?

Use this link to find some other varieties

http://guides.travel.msn.com/Guides/article.aspx?cp-documentid=1078607&icid=msn1078607&gt1=41000

Plant type as rose and color as red, there were tons of options. My Hero is another good one that has continous blooms.

Dwarf Box has been used to edge formal rose beds for a long time. Any low evergreens planted in front of roses will contribute much-needed structure and solidity to what otherwise might be sticks and dirt, particularly during winter.

Mixed plantings including suitably informal-looking rose varieties will use them in combination with compatible plants of other groups like annuals, bulbs, perennials and climbers (vines), same as is done with other deciduous shrubs like deutzias and lilacs.

Its all subjective...why block the color of any flowering shrub with an evergreen?

Putting evergreens to the back also gives you a more open look once the decidous plants lose there leaves in winter.

You don't plant tall-growing evergreen shrubs in front of roses, you plant short ones like dwarf box - sheared into hedges when edging rectilinear formal beds - that never get up high enough to come between you and the flowers.

Some gardens have both dwarf evergreen shrubs in front of roses and taller evergreen hedges behind. Mixed borders with informal shapes will have taller evergreen shrubs flanking rose bushes, a good basic arrangement being evergreen shrubs on the ends, herbaceous plants occupying center stage and deciduous shrubs (including shrub roses) forming transitions between the solidity of the evergreens and the lightness of the annuals, perennials and bulbs.

There you go, we were talking different applications. I was speaking more agaisnt structures. vs in the open in beds along walks, or hedges.

In zone 5 you always want boxwoods in a protected location, in that case use it as the backdrop/fondation.

Makes no difference what is behind the planting or if it is an island bed or one backed by something, dwarf evergreen shrubs chosen for planting in front of roses don't hide their flowers or are prevented with pruning from doing so when older and larger. After decades of growth dwarf English box for instance can be fairly tall, those few inches each time adding up.