Zone 3b (possibly 3a) - Canada. Svejda, 2007 - 5m / 16ft

Parentage: (Rosa kordesii × (Red Dawn × Suzanne o.p.))

This rose has a special history here at Corn Hill Nursery. It began as a seedling sent to us from Agriculture Canada, with just a number for a name. We took it, and another, and grew them in our display garden for two years. Eventually the other one was named Capt. Samuel Holland. We decided to move the rose who would become Felix Leclerc to a location outside our office, and kind of forgot about it. After the second year, it had grown about six feet and we built a trellis for it. The third year, it shot up to ten feet and eventually topped at fifteen feet. It has become somewhat of a legend around here.

This plant is not suitable for open growth. This rose acts more like a vine that sports five or six canes that kept building on the previous years growth. The blooms continue until hard frost, and have a light fruity aroma. It was not chosen to be released, but when we asked to buy the rights, it was suddenly chosen as a Canadian Artist Series selection, earning the name Felix Leclerc. It has great disease resistance but be warned, the sawflies love it.

FF