Hi Rob

The rose 'Red Dawn x Suzanne' was not the direct pollen parent. Dr. Svejda made two successive open pollinated selections from 'Red Dawn x Suzanne'.

'Red Dawn x Suzanne' was designated as "S45". The letter S being for breeding stock supplied by Robert Simonet.

The first open pollinated selections from 'Red Dawn x Suzanne' (S45) became seedlings D07 and D08.

Then two open pollinated seedlings from D07 were selected and designated D15 and D25.

D15 became the pollen parent of 'Alexander MacKenzie'.


"From open pollination of 'Red Dawn x Suzanne' I selected D07 and D08. D07 was not remarkable in itself but the offspring from open pollination, D15 and D25, were excellent parents. D15 produced 'A. Mackenzie'. D15 was the progenitor of 'William Baffin'. D25 was the pollen parent of U11 now named 'Felix Leclerc'. U11 was the pollen parent of 'Captain Samuel Holland', 'Quadra' and 'Frontenac'.

D08 had double, soft pink flowers, was very hardy and flowered repeatedly. It was highly resistant to powdery mildew but was somewhat susceptible to blackspot. It was pollen parent of 'Champlain' which in turn produced 'George Vancouver' and 'Louis Jolliet'. D08 was also the progenitor of 'John Davis', which in turn produced 'Lambert Closse' and 'Royal Edward'. Another Simonet hybrid was S67. It was the progenitor of Quadra, 'Frontenac' and 'Nicolas'. With the progress of the breeding program the pedigree became more complex."

Dr. Svejda
Page 31, The Canadian Explorer Roses

For example: Agriculture Canada describes 'John Davis' this way:
"'John Davis originated from the open pollination of a seedling from a cross between R. Kordesii and a line originating from a cross between Red Dawn and Suzanne."