You could grow herbs in the cinder blocks. Basil, parsley, thyme, chives etc. You could even tuck a few lettuces in there (probably a bit late for this year though). Violas, Pansies, even little Marigolds would work too.

Linda

In my experience, Sunrise Sunset will eat that entire cinder block space for lunch. Oh, it starts out relatively compact for a year or two, but it now totally obliterates a huge arch, even more than the other two or three actual climbers on it.

Here it is pretending to be a "small" 2' rose in its second year:

This spring, here it is absolutely demolishing the arch, swamping a 7 year old Illusion climber that's supposed to be huge and is barely visible in the red blooms at left vs. the Sunrise Sunset climbing up the arch. And it's not even at its full growth - I can't imagine what it'll look like in August.

Here's a closeup of the base of the rose - you can see three or four other roses just barely surviving the canes enough to peep out. Sunrise Sunset has already killed several other roses that used to be at the base of this arch. It's a 2' high, 20' wide monster of a rose.

You have some excellent Easy Elegance roses and they'll look nice in that spot, but you really will have to move Sunrise Sunset somewhere else or it'll kill off the others. I'd put it in the front bed you mention and give it a lot of room. All of those other EE roses should be hardy for you in zone 4, as I have most of mine in a zone 4 pocket of my yard and they laugh off the cold.

Here's High Voltage - it also gets larger than advertised and is a good 4-5' tall. It can bleach out in the sun to a cream color, but it starts out a nice yellow. It'll probably want some support in that spot, like a tomato cage or green wire fence around the outside to hold it up. You can see the 2' high green fencing at the bottom of this shot, and I really need to add a taller support.

Como Park so far is staying smaller, but it's only in its second year and will probably be more like High Voltage when it grows into its height by its third year. It's already putting up some long canes you can see toward the top of this photo that indicate it'll get bigger.

Music Box also gets taller than advertised, and mine are around 4-5' tall. It's not as narrow as High Voltage, so it can mostly hold itself up, but it gets a good 3' wide as well. I think the colors of these three will blend well, as the yellow of High Voltage complements the yellow centers of Music Box, but both fade to cream which contrasts nicely with the red of Como Park.

As for what to plant in the center of those cinder blocks, I'd fill in the holes with dirt and alternate spring, summer, and fall blooming perennials (but I love chaos). Creeping spring phlox will start off the season and drape nicely over the blocks, and it's pretty indestructible in cold zones like ours. Pick any colors, as it wouldn't overlap with any of the roses or other plants. Then Moonbeam Coreopsis will bloom in low yellow mounds that will cascade a bit too, and that blooms all summer. For the fall, you can pick a low-growing aster or mum, and if the other two cascade that one wouldn't have to.

Have fun with this space - you're off to a good start!

Cynthia

Wow I didn't realize it would be such a monster. I was think it would be 2 ft high by 4-5 ft wide. I am going to have to find a place so it can it own space. I'm not sure what winter is like in Nebraska. Does it make a difference I'm in northern NY up near the Canadian border. Our winters are harsh temps and a lot of snow. We usually have snow from octoberish to April. Our last frost isn't until the end May. Will this keep it smaller. For example my knockout roses are 3 years old and have barely made it to 2 feet each season.

You're only a zone colder than us in Nebraska, since we're zone 5. My knockouts are also more or less 3' tall, and they do get some winter dieback. I've never seen any die back whatsoever on Sunrise Sunset, so I wouldn't count on harsh winters or late springs keeping it smaller. You're right that it will need its own space, and it doesn't play well with other roses.

Cynthia

I'll scope out for its own space this summer so I can relocate it in the spring. Now I'll have to think what to put in its space. What are your thoughts on pinktopia. I saw that one today and really liked it. Pretty much thats the only one left that Ive seen available here.

So far Pinktopia is staying fairly compact and manageable, and it has easily thrived over the winters in my zone 4 pocket. It would do more of what you're looking for in your cinder block bed. It has had nice bloom most of the season so far for me. Mine is between 3-4 feet so far, and seems to be the shortest of the bunch you've mentioned, but it might get bigger as it ages. It's supposed to get to 4-5' like the others.

Cynthia