Roses on the rise

The beautiful rose-covered fences, trellises and archways that Canadian gardeners once only dreamed of are now a beautiful reality in gardens across much of the country – thanks to some of the roses in the Explorer series, as well as other hardy varieties that have been created especially for northern climates. Here are a few of the best varieties to help you make these lush climbers part of your garden this spring and summer.

• Vigorous, disease-resistant and hardy to Zone 4, Explorer roses were first developed at the Central Experimental Farm in Ottawa in the early 1960s. The program is now in L’Assomption, Québec.
• Although most Explorers are bush or shrub types, the series also includes taller, long-shooted varieties that can be grown as climbers. Among the best of these are ‘John Cabot’ (deep orchid-pink double blooms), ‘Henry Kelsey’ (deep rose blooms) and ‘William Baffin’ (flowers the colour of strawberry ice cream). They’re available at your local nursery.