Commercially available

• Félicité Hardy

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White, near white or white blend Damask.
Registration name: Félicité Hardy
Exhibition name: Madame Hardy

Bred by Julien-ALEXANDRE Hardy (France, 1831).

Centifolia, Damask.  

White or white blend.  Strong fragrance.  Medium, double (17-25 petals), button-eye, cupped bloom form.  Once-blooming spring or summer.  

Armed with thorns / prickles.  

Height: 4' to 6'7" (120 to 200cm).  Width: 4' to 5' (120 to 150cm).

USDA zone 4b through 9b.  Can be used for garden or pillar.  Hardy.  shade tolerant.  Disease susceptibility: very disease resistant.  Prune after flowering is finished.  Prune lightly until this rose gets established (about two years), then prune it back by about a third..  This rose blooms on old wood.  

Tetraploid

Said to be very similar to 'Triomphe de Lille'. 'Madame Hardy' has a prominent green eye, distinct from 'Madame Soetemans/Zoutmans, where the eye is (almost) completely covered by petals.

DNA analysis has shown that the closest relatives of 'Mme Hardy' are 'Bullata' and 'Petite de Hollande'. 'Mme Hardy' also seems related to the Gallica-cluster.

In September 1998, the Montreal Botanical Garden (Le Jardin Botanique de Montreal) carried out a survey of its roses' resistance to black spot, powdery mildew and rust. This is one of the outstanding varieties which showed a 0% to 5% infection rate. The data was taken on well-established roses.