Oh, Canada! Here’s the first in a series of posts on very special but easy to grow plants for your garden in honour of Canada’s birthday. First up on my Celebrate Canada Plants List is a gorgeous new variety of rose.

Celebrate Canada with The Canadian Shield™ Rose

Grown exclusively in celebration of the 150th anniversary of Confederation, the new Canadian Shield™ rose is the premier plant from the new, curated 49th Parallel Collection from the Vineland Research and Innovation Centre in Ontario. (More new roses are slated for release in 2019.) Described as “bold and resilient”, this new rose’s brilliant colour and hardiness make it easy to see why it was recently named Flower Of The Year at Canada Blooms 2017 (Toronto, ON, March 10 – 19). “Canadian Shield™ and the entire 49th Parallel Collection have all the low-maintenance traits and visual appeal that consumers love in landscape roses,” said Lana Culley, Vineland’s Director of Business Development.

This rose is no pansy

Growing up to five feet tall with a four foot spread, Canadian Shield™ is a repeat bloomer offering full, bright red flowers all summer long, set off by glossy green foliage. But don’t be won over just by its beauty. It’s got braun, too–resistant to black spot and hardy to zone 3. If you experience winters that dip below -40°C., you can still grow it. You just need to protect your plant with a thick layer of mulch around its base or wrap the plant in burlap and pile soil up around it until completely covered.

Act fast come spring

More than 20 Canadian nurseries are licensed to propagate and grow 50,000 Canadian Shield™ roses for home gardeners and landscapers. Though this is a relatively limited release of plants, you’ll find the rose at a good variety of garden centres across Canada from Wildwood Garden Centre in Victoria, B.C. to Holland Nurseries in St. John’s, Newfoundland. Check out the Vineland Rose’s handy Where To Buy webpage to be first in line at your nearest garden centre–some centres are accepting pre-orders.

This is the first in a series of posts on plants I’m recommending for celebrating Canada’s 150th anniversary. Next up: Get festive with ferns. Stay tuned!