If they're dormant packaged roses, no leaves is good. Plant as directed and the leaves should grow. If they're growing potted roses and they had no leaves when you purchased them, return them for a refund. Don't buy leafless potted roses!

I have at least 6-7 climbers done this way and they work just great. I used copper dowels for longevity and made them about 3-feet protrusion either direction. The height of your fence would depend on various things, but the look you want, the particular rose. I like fences to be about 4-6, even 8-feet tall but it is just a matter of preference and rose. For a picket, I like about 4 feet although my DILs (which son made) is 5-1/2 (to keep dog at bay). Eden is a climber but often listed as a shrub because it can be either.

I knew I had remembered reading something about JFK on this forum, and on the web, but I wasn't sure if it was *good* or *bad*. But, I only have one white rose and wanted another. Maybe I'll have good luck with mine, and if not, $2 is so cheap, it won't be hard to let it go. At Lowes, they still have lots of roses that weren't marked down yet--- tons of knockouts. And the flower carpet roses were only marked down to $5. I would have liked to have a coral flower carpet, but my daughter has one and has rooted them easily, so I'll probably try that. I've got a red one and a yellow one and like them a lot--- lots of blooms. It's really hard for me to drive by Lowe's without stopping by to check out the clearance plants. I've bought all kinds of things there for super cheap prices, and almost all of the plants have perked right up when I got them in the ground. They also sell torn bags of potting soil really cheap. I have discovered that they usually have more reduced plants in the very back outside the fenced area-- more to choose from.

What is going on is that you just planted it 6 weeks ago, and the poor thing is trying to grow roots while simultaneously supporting all of that top growth. However, it looks mainly fine. If it was mine I would cut off ONLY the canes or parts of canes that are brown and obviously completely dead. Then I would leave it alone for at least one year, so that it can grow roots and get established. Next Spring, when it stops freezing, you can prune it a bit. Jackie