Hannah,
My advice to you is to look into the Kordes roses, specifically those that have received the ADR designation. They are the easiest roses to grow. You want to make it as easy on yourself growing easy to care for roses that give more pleasure than pain in their care.
Receiving an ADR designation means that the rose has been rigorously tested in trial gardens throughout different growing zones in Europe. It has been proven to have demonstrated outstanding performance regarding winter hardiness (not an important factor for you in zone 8, GA), and disease resistance without any spraying.
Black spot, the worst of the diseases imaginable, especially in a hot and humid climate like yours, can essentially be a non-issue to you, growing an ADR awarded rose....no heartbreak of devastating black spot outbreaks....essentially no-spray regarding BS.
The German rose breeder, Kordes, has a ton of ADR winners among their roses. Their breeding program emphasizes disease resistance and winter hardiness.
Another nice thing about Kordes roses is that they are heavily marketed in the USA through the big box retailers like Lowe's and Home Depot. Nice sized, blooming size rose bushes can readily be purchased locally, at a good price. Some of the less marketed Kordes ADR roses are available through many very fine online, mail order nurseries, but be prepared to pay more for smaller bushes than you will pay at the big box guys.
If you want fragrance along with great blooms consider these Kordes, ADR roses for your garden:
Zaide
Dark Desire
Summer Romance
Madame Anisette
Earth Angel
First Crush
Pink Enchantment
Cream Veranda
There are many more moderately, lightly, or no fragrance Kordes ADR roses out there, especially climbers, but the above, except for the last two, are extremely fragrant. The last two are moderately fragrant.
Enjoy your journey into roses! It is a love affair like no other, and you're not cheating on your spouse!
BTW, give consdieration to Milwaukee's Calatrava, a Bill Radler rose (the Knockout roses breeder). It is very un-Knockout like, being extremely fragrant, and somewhat English rose looking (nicely cupped with a nice boss center, but no quartering) with excellent vigor, and disease resistance.
Milwaukee's Calatrava has the much beloved Austin rose, Abraham Darby, in its pedigree. I think Abraham Darby is the source of MC's fragrance.
Another thing, if you can get roses grafted onto fortuniana rootstock, you will have bushes that grow unbelievably lushly and with abundant blooms. Sandy soil and mild winters favor such grafted bushes. If you have clay soil, fortuniana may not do as well. Look into this option.
Moses
Q
Great ideas for next year!
Q