Rosa gallica Cardinal de Richelieu - Old Gallic Rose

The old rose 'Cardinal de Richelieu' amazes with its slightly theatrical flowers, whose dark and satin-like dress evokes the splendours of a bygone era. Rich with its double roses, it only blooms once, in June-July, but in grand style. Its medium-sized roses, shaped like inverted petals, form a globe of a rare and sumptuous tone, a dark purple-red, maturing into a faded violet colour, glazed with grey-blue. Their powdery fragrance perfumes a whole section of the garden. This rose forms a medium-sized bush, immersed in a luxuriant foliage of beautiful dark green. This very hardy variety, however, requires fertile and moist soil to flower well.

Rosa x gallica 'Cardinal de Richelieu' is sometimes called Rose Van Sian, due to its roses being considered blue (the word 'cyan' is sometimes used to refer to the colour blue). This old horticultural hybrid was obtained before 1847. While the name of its breeder remains uncertain, it undoubtedly descends from the botanical rose Rosa gallica var. officinalis. All gallica roses are resistant and undemanding bushes.

This bush with a flexible, bushy, and ovoid habit, has a slightly tousled appearance, with undisciplined branches, contrasting with the colour and precious aspect of its flowers. It reaches a height of about 1.20m (3ft 11in) to 1.30m (4ft 4in) with a width of 1m (3ft 4in), and takes time to establish. Its luxuriant and semi-evergreen foliage is carried by flexible and almost enormous stems. It is adorned with deep, rather dark, matte green leaves. It blooms abundantly in June-July. Rounded buds with purple hues open into double flowers, about 6cm (2.4in) wide, which tend towards a violet-red before fully blooming into a greyish-purple colour. Its numerous petals are inverted at their tips. The scent of its roses is medium, pleasant, with powdery and peppery notes. This variety is rather nutrient-demanding and requires some fertilizer. However, it thrives in cool climates as it fears scorching sun.

Abandoned later for remontant hybrid varieties, gallica roses are nevertheless sturdy plants steeped in history. They are bushes like 'Versicolor', 'Cardinal de Richelieu' or 'Charles de Mills' that stand guard in old abandoned gardens and cemeteries when many others have surrendered. Far from being sad, 'Cardinal de Richelieu' contributes to the exuberance of summer-flowering shrub borders, landscape hedges, mixed with buddleias, Abelias, or Deutzias. Its modest growth allows it to be included in perennial borders, where it wonderfully accompanies perennial geraniums, Plox paniculata, dame's rocket, or purple toadflax. These qualities make us forget that it only blooms once, which is never held against other flowering shrubs! It definitely deserves to be planted in all rose lovers' gardens, as well as scented gardens.

If you have enough space, English, Old, or Shrub Roses are magnificent when planted in groups of three. They will grow together to form 'one' opulent bush that will bloom even more generously.