I have only done roses for a few years but this is something that happened to me. When I protected my Fouth of July climbing rose with straw and burlap everything went well. Last winter I was lazy and did not put straw only burlap. The burlap got wet and clung to the rose in spots. This year this rose had issues with the canes, big spots and darkened areas and poor flowers and leaf production. Like the rose got sick maybe with a fungus. This year I am going to use straw again with the burlap. Now maybe it is just something that would have happened anyway. As I said I am not an expert just my two cents. Amy

amy -- did you put straw between the roses and the burlap or just on the bottom?

Mine is stapled to posts and the plants are tied up so they aren't completely touching it.

I put straw all the way up the rose between the rose and burlap. Good idea with the posts. Amy

I also live in Zone 5 in Illinois and we are expecting snow on Sunday also. The best winter protection for your roses is to put a layer of mulch on the ground to protect the roses from heaving (when the ground thaws and then re-freezes. From your pics, it doesn't look like you've done this yet? I don't use the burlap method, but my roses are winter hardy varieties such as Buck roses, which only require the oak mulch which I mounded up around each rose. What varieties of roses are you protecting? You should also add straw inside your burlap bags, or pine needles if you have some. Stay away from oak leaves; they get wet and cause fungal problems. I don't think it is going to hurt to leave the top open on the tall rose plant.

I may be wrong, but to me they look as if they should be shorter and closer to the ground and possibly more conical in shape with the mulch mounded at the bud union/ground level. They almost look like sails; and even burlap will catch some wind especially if wet.I strive for a teepee shape except with my climbers on a trellis. I just wrap the trellis.

I trim all mine back to about knee high and then pile shredded wood mulch (which I get free from the county) all around them in a 12"-15" mound. Just finished doing that in the past couple of weeks. Been growing roses for 30+ years, and I used to cage them with chicken wire and fill with leaves, but have found the mulch method to be just as effective and not nearly so much work. I grow exclusively hybrid teas and floribundas, so these are tender roses, and I rarely lose a healthy rose. The few that I do lose are always ones that struggled the year before.

There is about 20 pounds of topsoil mounded up around the base of each plant. They are also planted very deep -- about 9 inches. When they went in the bareroot canes only came up about 4" out of the ground. So I'm not worried about the base of them at all -- just the canes and leaves.

There are 3 White Simplicities, which I was told by J&P needed no winter protection. Untrue. The large one came back fully; the other two came back but one never really regained its original size.

The other 3 are Winchester Cathedrals, new this year. We'll see how they do this winter.

Next time I'll try the straw between the burlap and plant.
Meanwhile, the burlap is stapled to posts, not touching the plants much.

Expecting 1" of show and very cold temps tomorrow and through next week. Keeping fingers crossed.