Book  (1967)  Page(s) 50.  
 
Some All-Canadian Roses
by Fred Blakeney, Victoria, B.C.
My rose, "Miss Canada" is now known all across Canada, so it needs no description from me. That it has given me the greatest hybridizing thrill of my life is an understatement, and I trulu am gratified at the way the people of canada have taken to it. I have also another rose on the market which I have named "Blakeney's Red". The foliage is dull and so is not so attractive as the foliage of "Miss Canada". It is a brilliant red currant colour and can produce at times some wonderful blooms.

Book  (20 Sep 1965)  Page(s) 35-36.  
 
In 1955 Mr. Blakeney acquired 'Karl Herbst' and was much impressed with its plant and foliage characteristics. Its parentage, 'Independence' x 'Peace' seemed to him to be a promising combination and he decided on 'Karl Herbst' as one parent and gave a lot of thought to choosing a pollen parent. He wanted vigour, disease resistance and glossy leaves. 'Peace' has all these qualities, but is one of the parents of 'Karl Herbst'. Most roses, when closely inbred, give less vigour in their progeny, but 'Peace' being a very vigorous rose, he reasoned that a slight loss of vigour should not be a serious handicap and so he crossed 'Karl Herbst' with 'Peace' in 1957. The seedling that is now 'Miss Canada' came from this cross and germinated February 10th, 1958. Its first blooms passed unrecorded because, in all probability, it did not show much promise.