I must admit after 5 years in the garden l am in awe of this rose’s cane hardiness, bloom consistency etc.. a fresh bloom will give a strong fragrance that disappears quickly. Even a small cutting has survived winters. Only seen insignificant powdery mildew at the tips of late fall blooms - after a few more years of trialling for myself it is likely to make Super - Hardy category for my garden - now zone 4a CDN. It needs 10 of consistent performance. And it looks like a modern. Unbelievable it has Red Dawn in it since out three originally planted only 1 survives. It will bloom this year - last one buried in peat moss for winter and cloched in spring to promote early growth. Update last Red Dawn did not survive winter of 2019/20.
The mystery is why its use has not produced a cane Hardy series useable in my garden. The ones l am aware are not cane hardy but some are partially cane hardy - more like “stubs”.
Excerpt of a Robert Simonet letter to Percy Wright, July 2/1971
"My seedling of Red Dawn to pollen of Suzanne is hardier than Red Dawn, a bit smaller in flower but repeating very well. I'd like it better if it had a deeper colour. Bert (Porter) suggested I should name it."
"Red Dawn x Suzanne - R. laxa hybrid Grows six feet tall, fairly hardy. Looks like a half-sized climber. Good against a fence or wall. Makes a fine show of semi-double deep pink to light red roses all summer. Sets seed. Not as bright as John Cabot." Comment from Walter Schowalter notes.
