Photo: Roseraie Guillot (official photo of the originating nursery)

Shrub rose (Générosa®)Dominique Massad / Guillot, 1995White and cream

Manuel Canovas

White, with pale yellow old-fashioned rosettes in clusters; fresh lily-of-the-valley scent; a healthy shrub from the Générosa collection.

Générosa® Guillot collection · named after textile designer Manuel Canovas

Variety profile Gardeners' photos

Variety profile

Flowering

Repeat flowering

Strongly repeat-flowering, from May to November. Months are approximate, for the climate of Ukraine.

Legacy

Générosa®

Guillot collection: old-rose form and fragrance, with modern health

Winter hardiness

−18 °C

USDA zone 6b–9. South and centre of Ukraine; in the north — with winter cover. South and centre of Ukraine · in the north, with winter protection.

Compare reference temperatures

Plant size

120–130 × 90–100 cm

Habit: Compact, upright, well-branched, free-flowering
Dimensions: About 120–130 cm tall × 90–100 cm wide
Support: Not needed — a self-supporting bush
Shoots: Sturdy
Branching: Good

Flower

≈ 5 cm

35–40 petals.

Bud shape: Medium, pointed
Open flower: Cupped rosette of old-fashioned appearance; diameter about 5 cm
Centre: Yellowish in young flowers
Fullness: Double (about 35–40 petals)
Flower carriage: In small clusters (several flowers per stem)

Fragrance

Light; fresh, lily-of-the-valley (muguet)

Light — fresh, delicate, lily-of-the-valley (muguet), with a feeling of early spring.

Disease resistance

4 out of 5

Good to excellent disease resistance (a hallmark of the Générosa collection).

Sun

Full sun

Undemanding, free-flowering.

Thorns

Moderate

thornlessfewmoderatemanyvery many

Moderate prickliness (no precise data for this variety).

Foliage

Dark green, semi-glossy, leathery, healthy.

Other names

Breeder's code MASpagui.

All characteristics in a table

Group: Shrub rose (Générosa®)
Breeder: Dominique Massad / Guillot, France, 1995
Bud shape: Medium, pointed
Open flower: Cupped rosette of old-fashioned appearance; diameter about 5 cm
Centre: Yellowish in young flowers
Colour: White, slightly iridescent, with pale yellow (more saturated towards the centre); fades with age to almost pure white
Fullness: Double (about 35–40 petals)
Flower carriage: In small clusters (several flowers per stem)
Flowering: Strongly repeat-flowering, from May to November
Fragrance: Light — fresh, delicate, lily-of-the-valley (muguet), with a feeling of early spring
Hips: Unknown
Habit: Compact, upright, well-branched, free-flowering
Branching: Good
Shoots: Sturdy
Thorns: Moderate prickliness (no precise data for this variety).
Dimensions: About 120–130 cm tall × 90–100 cm wide
Support: Not needed — a self-supporting bush
Foliage: Dark green, semi-glossy, leathery, healthy
Resistance: Good to excellent disease resistance (a hallmark of the Générosa collection)
Variations of the variety: No sports recorded

Colour scheme

White, slightly iridescent, with a pale yellow centre (more saturated towards the middle); fades with age to almost pure white

Rose neighbours

Claire Austincreamy white

Winchester Cathedralpure white

Desdemonaporcelain white

Munstead Wooddark raspberry · contrast

Perennials to plant nearby

Catmintsky blue

Caradonna sagepurple

Munstead lavenderlavender

Gypsophilawhite mist

Neighbouring roses

White and cream varieties keep the same clean, elegant mood around Manuel Canovas.

Claire Austin Winchester Cathedral Desdemona Munstead Wood

Companion perennials

Blue, lavender and white plants bring out the purity of the white flower:

catmintCaradonna sageMunstead lavendergypsophila

Contrasting accents

Blue spires and lavender tones add depth to the white palette:

DelphiniumNepeta Six Hills GiantLavandula

More about the variety

Hips: Unknown
Variations of the variety: No sports recorded

How to grow

Where to plant. In a white or pastel flower bed, a border, small groups, a low hedge; also lovely for cutting.

Climate. South and centre of Ukraine — no cover needed; in the north — with winter cover (USDA zone 6b).

Care. Moderate; full sun, fertile soil; healthy foliage makes care easier; feeding twice per season.

About the name

Name. After Manuel Canovas (1935–2019), a well-known French designer of fabrics and interiors, founder of the Paris house of decorative fabrics and wallpapers. The rose symbolically combines two historic French houses — the Guillot nursery (where 'La France', 1867, the first Hybrid Tea, was bred) and the Canovas decorative fabric house.

Breeding. Bred by Dominique Massad (often signed 'Guillot-Massad'), introduced by Roseraie Guillot (France); crossed in 1995. Code MASpagui. Parent forms have not been published.

Significance. A member of the Générosa® Guillot collection — modern shrub roses that combine the form and fragrance of old roses with modern health and repeat flowering.

Frequently asked questions about Manuel Canovas

Does Manuel Canovas need winter protection?

The cultivar’s reference temperature is −18 °C (USDA zone 6b–9). Overwintering depends on the conditions. South and centre of Ukraine; in the north — with winter cover.

How many times a season does Manuel Canovas flower?

Strongly repeat-flowering, from May to November.

How big does Manuel Canovas grow?

120–130 cm tall, 90–100 cm wide.

Which diseases affect Manuel Canovas?

Overall resistance: 4 out of 5. Good to excellent — a characteristic feature of Générosa.

How much sun does Manuel Canovas need?

Full sun; undemanding, free-flowering.

What does Manuel Canovas smell like?