Tom Sterenberg is sharing some photos today of roses he’s grown in the sometimes difficult climate of the Canadian prairie.
“Roses Are Difficult Here” by prairie writer W. O. Mitchell expresses the frustration of trying to grow roses in the extreme climate of the Canadian prairie. Tea roses and David Austins may survive for a while, but there’s no guarantee. Some amazing new hardy varieties are now my favorites.
‘Henry Kelsey’ is one of the earliest, and it has abundant small red blooms with yellow centers.
Gorgeous ‘Dolly Parton’ didn’t make it through last winter.
‘Morden Blush’ is very cold hardy and has romantic pink flowers. Roses with the word “Morden” in their name were bred at the Morden Research Station in Manitoba, and are beautiful, very durable plants for cold climates.
‘Canadian Shield’ is new to me this year. It is part of the 49th Parallel series of roses, developed at the Vineland Research and Innovation Centre in Vineland, Ontario.
‘Campfire Tom Thompson’, another Canadian-bred rose, is part of the Canadian artist series. Its blooms have a beautiful range of colors.
‘Morden Fireglow’ produces deep, rich red flowers on a very cold-hardy plant.
‘Never Alone’ is a beautiful rose bred at the Modern Research Station and named as a fundraiser for the Never Alone Cancer Foundation. A beautiful flower, the cause it supports is equally beautiful !
‘Olds College’ is another Modern variety, named in honor of the Centenary of Olds College in Alberta.
‘Felix Leclerc’ is another part of the Canadian Artists series of roses, this one a beautiful, nearly thornless cold-hardy climber.
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