Rosa 'Oscar Peterson' – 'Oscar Peterson' Rose (Canadian Artist Series)

The 'Oscar Peterson' rose, a Canadian variety named in honour of the famous jazz pianist, brilliantly combines beauty and toughness. Part of the Canadian Artists Series, it marries the refined look of hybrid tea roses with the easy-care nature of shrub roses. It offers abundant flowering and exceptional resistance, all in a format that requires no complicated care.

Characteristics

• Foliage: The plant develops rich, very glossy, dark green deciduous foliage, which creates a superb contrast with the light-coloured flowers.
• Flowering: It produces continuously, from early summer through fall, clusters of semi-double flowers. The cream-coloured, red-tipped buds open to soft creamy-yellow flowers that mature to a pure white. This brilliant white highlights the golden-yellow stamen center. The petals fall cleanly after flowering.
• Light: It demands full sun (6+ hours) for optimal performance and flowering.
• Habit: It forms a shrub with an upright, vase-shaped habit, slightly taller than it is wide.
• Growth: It shows a good growth rate and reaches a height of 60 to 120 cm (2-4 feet) with a spread of 60 to 90 cm (2-3 feet).
• Moisture: It requires an average level of soil moisture.
• Soil: It thrives in moist but very well-drained soil and adapts well to clay or sandy soils.
• Hardiness: It is one of the hardiest roses, facing Zone 3 winters without any problem. A good snow cover helps it through the winter.
• Watering: Once well-established, it tolerates short periods of drought well.
• Resistance: It possesses exceptional resistance to diseases, especially black spot.

Uses

• Types of Use: Its upright habit makes it an excellent choice for informal hedges, mass plantings, or at the back of a border. It is also magnificent as a standalone specimen.
• Ornamental Features: The display of its changing flowers, shifting from cream to pure white, is captivating. The contrast with the yellow center and dark foliage is particularly elegant. It provides quality cut flowers throughout the season.

Care

• Fertilizing: Apply a rose fertilizer in the spring to support its vigorous growth. A mulch at its base helps to retain moisture.
• Pruning: In early spring, prune the shrub to give it the desired shape and to remove any wood that is dead or damaged by winter. Deadheading faded flowers during the summer encourages even faster and more abundant reblooming.
• Planting: Choose a sunny location with good air circulation and protection from prevailing winter winds.