Rose History • Winter-Hardy Roses • Canadian Breeding
Trailblazing Beauty: Dr. Felicitas Svejda and the Explorer Roses
How one scientist at Canada’s Central Experimental Farm proved roses could thrive through brutal winters—without protection—and changed cold-climate gardening forever.
In this post
- Who Dr. Felicitas Svejda was and why her work mattered
- How the Explorer Rose program started (and how tough the testing was)
- Why ‘Martin Frobisher’ became a turning point
- What Explorer Roses mean for gardeners today
A Rose Program Built for Real Winters
In the cold, long winters of Canada, roses were once considered a risky indulgence—beautiful, yes, but far too tender to survive northern climates. That perception changed forever thanks to one remarkable scientist: Dr. Felicitas Svejda, whose work produced the legendary Explorer Roses and redefined what roses could be.
From Austria to Ottawa: A Scientist with a Mission
Born in Vienna, Austria, in 1920, Dr. Svejda earned a doctorate in agricultural science before immigrating to Canada. She began her career with Canada’s federal Department of Agriculture in Ottawa. In 1961, she was invited to lead a new rose-breeding program at the Central Experimental Farm.
Her mandate was bold and specific: develop roses that could survive extreme cold, bloom reliably during short growing seasons, and resist disease—all without winter protection.
Learning from Survivors: Observation Before Innovation
Dr. Svejda began by studying existing plantings at the Central Experimental Farm and noticed that certain roses—especially rugosa types—handled winter far better than most. These plants not only survived severe cold but also showed reblooming potential and natural resilience.
She collected seed from hardy candidates and launched a major trial: 2,000 seedlings planted and left completely unprotected. After three winters, only two plants survived and performed well—an early sign of just how strict the standards were.
The First Explorer: ‘Martin Frobisher’
In 1968, Dr. Svejda introduced the first rose in what would become the Explorer Rose Series: ‘Martin Frobisher’, named after the English explorer who sought a Northwest Passage. The name captured the spirit of the program: roses that could push into climates where roses “shouldn’t” grow.
‘Martin Frobisher’ demonstrated that roses could be both hardy and floriferous—surviving true winter conditions and returning with reliable bloom.
Early Explorer introductions
After ‘Martin Frobisher,’ more hardy, repeat-blooming roses followed—each tested for cold tolerance and garden performance.
- ‘Jens Munk’ (1974)
- ‘Henry Hudson’ (1977)
- ‘David Thompson’ (1979)
- ‘Charles Albanel’ (1982)
Other Explorer Roses
- Alexander Mackenzie
- Captain Samuel Holland
- Champlain
- De Montarville
- Frontenac
- George Vancouver
- Henry Kelsey
- John Cabot
- John Davis
- John Franklin
- J.P. Connell
- Lambert Closse
- Louis Jolliet
- Mary-Victorin
- Martin Frobisher
- Nicolas
- Quadra
- Royal Edward
- Simon Fraser
- William Baffin
- William Booth
A Program That Outlived Its Founder
Dr. Svejda retired in 1986, but the breeding work continued. Between 1968 and 1999, roughly 25 Explorer roses were released. Their names—drawn from explorers and pioneers—were a deliberate tribute to endurance and discovery.
In 2005, an Explorer Rose Garden was planted at the Central Experimental Farm in Ottawa as a living legacy—an invitation to walk among roses bred to handle real winters with grit and grace.
Why the Explorer Roses Still Matter
Dr. Felicitas Svejda didn’t just create roses—she expanded what gardeners believed was possible. Explorer Roses made it realistic for cold-climate gardeners to grow roses that were tough, reliable, and beautiful without elaborate winter protection. Every spring return is a small victory—and a reminder that innovation starts when someone refuses to accept limitations.
