You may recall that Dr.C.F. Patterson - a pioneer in prairie plant breeding - was appointed to the University of Saskatchewan in 1921. In addition to his breeding work with fruits and vegetables, he was also an avid breeder of lilies. 'Rose Dawn' is one of his early introductions: bred in 1943, this asiatic lily was registered with the Royal Horticultural Society Registry of Lilies in 1951. This lovely lily has side facing blooms on stems that stand one metre tall. The orange shading on these mauve-spotted rosey petals, accented by rich orange pollen on its anthers, almost glow.
Rose Dawn asiatic lily: a Patterson introduction
Dr. Patterson was an avid fruit breeder, but also loved his lilies.