New dawn is y favourite rose and I am surprised they have died. Mine is growing strongly. Were they newly planted last year? There is still time for new shoots to come away from the older wood. so dont dispair just yet.

also just as a point of interest the phot looks more like a paeony rose. New dawn is the one in my avatar.

thats just what i thought,my paeony is just like that,its just to see if we are any good at this I.d lark really.
i agree with seaburngirl,id give them alittle longer as well,they may just need a kick start with afeed if they are young,don't give up on them yet.
kathleen harrop rose is beautiful and scented,just incase they are a goner.

thanks, fellow gardeners, for your comments. My avatar is peony 'Bowl of Beauty" ('cause it's a lovely plant), but my question was about rosa "New Dawn". I'm sure I read somewhere that I can't plant another rose in the same spot where another rose has been, unless I dig out the soil and replace it with fresh soil. My two "New Dawn" roses are (or were) around ten years old.

yes you shouldnt plant into the same spot so that any diseases in the soil are not spread to new roses. So yes the solution is to dig out the old soil and replace with fresh. But I would still wait until april/may before you remove them.

Thanks, Seaburngirl. I had another look at them yesterday and, lo and behold, a few little red buds have appeared!! They might just be OK.

thats brilliant. they are alive.

I know I'm a bit late with this comment, but I always say Out of death comes life....I've left dead looking stumps in the ground several times, and over time they send up little shoots...At the moment i've got a tiny Hydrangea that was very dead looking...now several weeks later she's fall of fresh new leaves...I will post a pic of it...so hang in there... :o))
Just to add, I layer a lot of straw around plants and shrubs for Winter, and especially ground that I've prepared ready for Spring...it all helps...

Thanks, Crissue. Am so glad I didn't dig 'em up - they are still very much alive, and are sprouting very well. Don't think I'll get any flowers this year, but at least they are still with us!
Great idea re. straw. Will have to start doing this, especially if we are to experience similar winters to the one we've just had.