I'm pretty certain your roses are grafted onto a rootstock variety that is sprouting, now that the top growth has died. It is probably Dr. Huey.

There is a rose society that meets near you -- I'll put a link below. Local rose lovers could give you the best advice about which varieties do best in your climate, soil, etc.

Here is a link that might be useful: Richmond Rose Society

Many of mine do that every year. If you've planted the bud union below the soil surface that growth may be from it or portions of cane below the soil surface.
Many of my roses pruned so far this year had to be pruned down to the soil surface. Further inspection shows they've all survived and none are root stock. When I come upon one that appears dead, I cut it back to three or four inches and wait until mid May. If nothing is showing by then, chances are it's dead. If fast growing long canes with small leave grow on the few budded roses I have, I search for the source. If below below the bud union, it's root stock, If above it, it's good growth.
All may not be lost yet. Wait a while to see what happens and don't disturb the plants. Digging them up often stresses the new growth and causes the bush to die.

Thank you both for your replies!

Petaloid, thank you for the link, I will look into it!

Karl, I probably lost the new growth, already, then.. Ooops! I had already dug them up, when I noticed the new growth - because they were in an area that is now experiencing poor drainage.

I guess I will just have to wait, and see what happens from here..

Thanks, again. =)

You can plant them in raised beds, if you need to grow them where the drainage is poor.

The local rose club can advise on winter protection--it can really make a difference in how many roses survive winter. But, what works best is often climate specific, so you need to talk to experts in your area.

You did the right thing to dig them up and move them. Time will tell if the new growth is the rose you had before, or the root stock. If you are in an area that doesn't have the best drainage, then a good technique is to berm up the soil. I am down the road a bit from you, and had a big problem with winter kill this year. And like you, I have a few that are little nubbins growing from the base. Mine are own root, so I know they will be "true to form", but I hope they recover.

I'm shocked that even Knockout would be affected. It's very hardy. It survived the big Easter freeze a couple years ago.

Deanna

In my Zone 6 (Kansas), hybrid teas often have to be cut back quite a bit. Of course I don't provide winter protection, partly because my neighbors' oak trees drop lots of leaves in my yard, though rather haphazardly--blowing around some roses, missing others entirely.

I don't worry about it too much because hybrid teas can be cut back low and grow back new canes quite successfully in many cases. However, as Karl said, in Zone 6 make sure that graft is buried a couple inches. Our spring weather can lurch back and forth from freezing nights to warm afternoons--hard on roses. But if the graft is buried, it is protected and we can hope that emerging canes are coming from the protected graft or above it.

Kate