To determine if drainage is the problem dig a hole 1 foot square and 1 foot deep and fill it with water. After that water drains away refill the hole with water and time how long it takes for that water to drain. If the water is gone in an hour or two drainage may be too fast, but if the water is still there after several hours the soil stays too wet too long. A trench, as suggested above, may direct surface water away, if constructed properly, but will do little to help with excessive ground water. Compacted soils can hold too much water but they also restrict the amount of air plant roots can get, and plant roots do need air. Organic matter can help uncompact soils and can help with air exchange those plant roots need as well as promote better drainage.

I was thinking of using the french drain as a replacement for the catch basin. It would serve the same purpose... collect the water in one place before it can be drained away. I was also kind of thinking it might look nicer having the exposed gravel for the french drain than the catch basin with just dirt around it. You're probably right though. The french drain is a lot more work to serve the same purpose and with possibly less capacity. I'm not sure how to calculate the capacity of a french drain but some really rough math makes me believe that the french drain is gonna have half the capacity. Doesn't your argument against french drains still apply to catch basins though? It's still possible to overwhelm the catch basin if it's undersized? Maybe it's just easier to under-size a french drain? What size catch basin should I be using? Your use of double negatives (unlikely and not) has me a little confused. :) Are you saying that two 4" pipes IS likely to be overkill, or that two 4" pipes IS NOT likely to be overkill? Later on it seems like you're advocating for using the two pipes. All the basins I initially saw with 2 outlets had the outlets on the opposite sides of each other. I figured I would either need have one outlet facing the correct direction and use two 90 degrees elbows to get the other pipe facing the correct direction, or put both outlets perpendicular to desired direction and then use one elbow on each side. I was hesitant to use so many elbows. I read stuff about using 45 degrees (or less) if possible to prevent the water from slowing down. Should I not be worried about that? Some more searching and I found this basin (http://www.sprinklerwarehouse.com/NDS-Drainage-Catch-Basin-p/nds-1800.htm) which lets me choose the sides I want the outlets. Having one face the correct direction and the other only being 90 degrees off seems better.

Yes, digging a large and well amended planting hole in a poorly draining soil is pretty much a recipe for disaster. If you do not wish to amend a much larger area (and often all that does is increase the size of the 'bathtub') then dig a wide but quite shallow planting hole and site the plant high, so that the top inch or two of the root ball is above grade. Backfill with the soil you have removed (break up well) and then top off with whatever amendments you want to make a small mound or berm of soil. No bathtub and the elevation will assist with drainage. This is SOP for planting in a clay based soil.

Shawntiah, what a pretty name. Welcome to the forum. There are some very knowledgable rosarians here to answer questions. I'm not one of them, but I'll tell you what I do because I have the same problem. Drainage is terrible in hard packed clay soil. And, when it does drain off, it leaves a sticky, glue-like mud that will pull your shoes right off your feet. I dig very large planting holes (at least 2'x2' for own root bands and larger for potted 3 gal. roses) and back fill with some of the native soil, compost and a few handfuls of perlite or vermiculite and/or pine fines - the kind you buy for bunny cages. But, the most important thing is a deep hole so water can drain away from the rose roots. Heavy clay soil isn't all bad. It retains moisture during hot, dry spells, and it usually has more nutrients. But, for that, we pay a price of poor drainage. You have some beautiful roses and it sounds like you know what you're doing. I hope deeper holes will solve your problem sufficiently. Natural pine straw mulch is what the Biltmore uses in their extensive rose gardens and from that I think you must be in the south. Just keep it away from the canes when it's soggy and the temps start to rise, so all that moisture doesn't cause canker.