You didn't recommend it, but someone (I think it was you, I could be wrong - I'll edit my post) suggested trying to plant the graft at the surface to protect from wet as long as there was winter protection. I remember it was mentioned as something to try that may or may not work not as something to definitely do.
Most companies say to put the graft 2-4" below the ground for my area. I have read some sources recommending burying the graft even deeper. Our frost line is 24". I measured the "spring mud line" this year. I may be the only person crazy enough to do this, but I will do anything for my irises and my roses. By my own definition, the "spring mud line" is the part of the ground that melts and refreezes on a daily basis in early spring. This averaged 6-8" in my garden. This means that the top 6-8" melted to very wet mud and standing water and refroze to solid frozen ground and ice at night . The water/mud doesn't drain because the ground below is frozen. At the same time snow was falling, melting, and refreezing as ice. That is February, March and sometimes April in the Poconos.
Avoiding grafted roses altogether has been working for me.
I have one surviving grafted rose - William Shakespeare 2000 - a gift from a friend. When I planted Will, I soaked him overnight and brushed the lower parts of the damp canes with rooting compound just before planting. I was hoping to encourage him to grow his own roots. He is located at a slightly drier part of the garden which is at a slightly higher elevation. I cover the base of Will and my other tender roses with at least 8" of peat moss with some shredded hardwood bark on top to keep the peat moss from blowing away. The frozen mound of peat moss seems to repel water. I was pleasantly surprised that it wasn't as soggy as the surrounding ground. (I checked it while inventing the "spring mud method".).
