Rosa moschata Lens Flair - Climbing Rose

'Lens Flair' is a hybrid climbing rose of Rosa moschata that produces single flowers with changing colours, gathered in large multicoloured clusters. They bloom from spring to autumn on very healthy, glossy foliage. The corollas, open to reveal a cluster of golden stamens, are visited by pollinating insects. It is traditionally used to adorn pergolas, trellises and fences, but also as a large informal hedge bush.

The 'VEL16mkawa' Lens Flair® rose belongs to the Rosaceae family and the musk hybrid group. This variety was bred in Belgium by Lens Roses (Ann Velle Boudolf programme), selected in 2016 and released from 2020 to mark the nursery's anniversary. 
Its habit is upright, developing long flexible stems with medium-sized prickles. Its growth is quite rapid. This rose reaches 2 to 3.50 m in height with a spread of 1.50 to 2 m, depending on how it is trained.
The flowering is repeat flowering; it renews from late May-June until the first frosts, in flushes. The inflorescences carry very numerous pink-red buds opening into flowers 4-5 cm in diameter, with 4 or 5 petals. Their colour is a coppery salmon pink when fully open, with a yellow base that highlights the stamens, then they fade to light pink; the reverse of the corollas is a more intense pink. Over time, the petals curl back, giving the flower a star-like appearance. They emit a light floral fragrance. Each cluster can bear up to 27 flowers; if not pruned, a few small hips form at the end of the season. The young shoots and leaves, coloured brown-red, are decorative. The deciduous foliage is divided into glossy leaflets of a dark green. It is absent in winter. The hardiness of this variety is around -15 °C.

Train the 'Lens Flair' rose on an arch, the pillar of a pergola or a trellis near a terrace, planting its base in a cool spot. You can grow summer-flowering clematis through its branches, such as ‘Madame Julia Correvon’ and 'Prince Charles', or pair it with pastel climbing roses ‘Guirlande d’Amour’ and Sourire d’Orchidée. In a flowering hedge, it pairs well with weigelas or tall spring spiraeas.

'Lens Flair' received awards in international competitions at the time of its release, confirming its reliable flowering and good garden performance: in 2020, this variety won the Gold Medal at the Warsaw International Trials and a Certificate of Merit in The Hague.