Old rose plants have large root systems and are hard to dig. However, it seems like you need to get rid of these if you don't move them.

All roses should bloom if they get several hours of sunlight. Roses of the once-blooming type won't bloom if they are cut back severely in spring or fall.

It's possible these are rootstock plants and not worth moving. One type of rootstock makes maroon flowers only in June and has disease issues. The other common type makes clusters of small white flowers for only about two weeks.

Easy repeat-blooming roses for your area might include Aloha, Earth Song, Prairie Harvest, Prairie Joy. See HelpMeFind for sources.

My very first rose was dummy-proof--a red floribunda called Eutin. Very showy large clusters of bloom. All these years later (and in a different state), I still have 3 Eutins in my garden. It is also hardy in your zone.

I recommend it strongly.

As for moving the old roses (assuming they haven't reverted to their rootstock), that's kinda a big deal. First you have to dig and amend a big hole--let's say, 2x2. Then you have to dig in a circle around the old rose--and dig a second time getting as deep as possible--and then pry the rose out of the hole. You are trying to save as much of the roots as possible, but you will invariably lose some of the roots. Then you have to haul the rose and as much of the rootball as you can (sometimes most of the rootball falls apart--nothing you can do about that) over to the new hole. Insert rose so that the graft is several inches below the soil line, mix in amended soil, water DEEPLY, pile on more soil. Water frequently for the next few weeks while the poor rose tries to recover from shock. Trimming the canes back by half may help it concentrate on growing a new root system.

I'd want to make sure those roses were worth saving before I went to all that work. Otherwise, I'd just go buy new roses and plant them. It all depends. What you might do is give the old roses fertlizer and good watering this year and see if they produce better results than in the past. Then if you really like them, move them to a better location next spring.

Good luck.

Kate

I've moved long established climbing roses growing in shade too deep for them to bloom properly. If you're willing to baby them for the following year, especially the following summer while they establish themselves in their new locations, and you have the gumption to deal with thick roots, you can move roses, including ones that have been in place for a long time. One of the ones I moved had a taproot that went down beyond where I was willing to dig, so I cut it where it was about 2-3" thick. (I strongly suspect it's Tausendschön because it looks just like this in bloom, and the bare canes look like this picture.)

Even though I moved this rose in June it still successfully established itself in its new location (a place where it finally gets enough sun to bloom properly).