In my experience, the most fool-proof method is you tell each and every worker not to touch or damage the rose, ask them what you need to get out of their way and what can stay, and then you stand by and watch them.

I think you can cut the roses back quite hard - a month ago I cut back huge climbers all around our house. Some of them were modern roses such as Golden Showers & Ice Berg, & Sombreuil, and others were old roses such as banksie lutea, Cecile Brunner, and Belle Portugaise. In each case we cut them down to about 8 ft tall, tied them up, and wrapped them in burlap. This gives a visual barrier, as well as a physical one. ALL of these roses are putting out new growth right now, even though they are still in
bondage.

We cut ours in July, and they were not even thinking about being dormant, so I really don't think that matters.

I agree with hoovb - you have to communicate with EACH person - do not depend on one to tell the others, and you have to WATCH them - all the time. We have done that, and it has worked out very well - I am looking forward to a bumper crop of blooms next Spring. Good luck!

Jackie

I hired a tree service that used a lift boom on a truck that was able to get close to the tree but not so close as to damage any plantings. They cut the tree down in fireplace size sections and lowered them in the boom.
They ground down the stump without damaging anything also. They just need to be careful.
Part of my deal was any damaged roses would be deducted from their bill at $20 a pop.
It was a very large oak tree!

Thank you all! I will definitely be watching the workers, and they will be cutting the tree in segments and lowering those with ropes, but it's a small city garden with very little clearance room for them to get near the tree to start working, much less get equipment in, so I want to do as much preliminary clearing and protecting as I can. You've all given me some great suggestions. Thanks again!