Deep, velvety lilac shade leaning towards crimson-purple, with a subtle bluish-grey tone. - historical, gallica rose - moderate-strength, noticeably fragrant rose - balsamic, berry-like
– Awarded RHS Award of Garden Merit.
– Deep, velvety crimson‑purple heritage blooms.
– Tall, bushy shrub with dense foliage.
– Moderately strong, balsamic berry fragrance.
– Very hardy, tolerates down to –32 °C.
– Special feature: Historic 19th‑century Gallica rose from Parmentier, prized by collectors.
Pollinator-friendly approach – Secure ordering
pharmaROSA® ORIGINAL 2-litre own-root potted rose
22,90 £
Unfortunately, we are currently unable to ship to the United Kingdom; we only deliver to countries within the European Union. For more information, please contact us!
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CARDINAL DE RICHELIEU – deep purple historic Gallica rose - Parmentier
Velvety clusters of richly double, deep plum-lilac blooms make CARDINAL DE RICHELIEU a distinctive presence in traditional beds and cottage-style borders, while its bushy shrub habit creates an elegant, dark green backdrop around the home. This heritage Gallica delivers one abundant summer display rather than repeat flowering, rewarding you with a concentrated season of colour that pairs beautifully with perennials and classic front-garden planting. Despite its history, it fits comfortably into today’s smaller family gardens, coping well even in sites exposed to windswept coastal weather when given a reasonably sheltered corner and good soil preparation. Own-root planting means the rose settles in securely and can regenerate from the base over time, supporting a long, reliable garden presence. Medium maintenance mainly involves light pruning and some rust-focused plant protection, so routine care stays manageable for hobby gardeners. Its H7 hardiness rating and USDA Zone 4b performance indicate dependable winter resilience across most UK regions, including colder inland gardens. In the first year it concentrates on root establishment, in the second on structural growth, and from the third year onwards it reveals its full ornamental character, becoming a mature, deeply coloured feature shrub you can rely on for decades.
Cardinal de Richelieu in a 2-litre pot, shown in sales condition.
Usage options
Target area
Reasoning
Feature shrub in a small front garden
Its bushy, upright habit and 125–180 cm height create a clear focal point that anchors a modest front garden without overwhelming the space. A single plant offers a stately, historic accent with dense foliage that looks tidy most of the year, suited to homeowners seeking understated structure. Beginners
Cottage-style mixed border
The very full, rosette blooms in smoky crimson-purple tones blend naturally with foxgloves, campanulas and soft perennials, giving a classic cottage effect. Once-a-season flowering encourages simple, winter or early-spring pruning rather than complex repeat-flower management, ideal for relaxed, traditional schemes. Cottage-lovers
Small group planting (1–3 shrubs)
Planted in a loose triangle or short row at 110–140 cm spacing, three shrubs create a generous wave of early summer colour. The moderate self-cleaning means you can deadhead when convenient rather than constantly, keeping a composed look in a family garden where time is limited. Busy-owners
Low-input historic or period-themed bed
As a proven nineteenth-century Gallica with RHS Award of Garden Merit, it fits perfectly into period plantings, museum gardens or heritage-style corners. Medium maintenance and reliable hardiness allow you to keep the design authentic without committing to intensive daily care or complex rose training. History-enthusiasts
Deep-colour accent in a clay or chalk garden
The strong root system of this own-root shrub helps it cope when planted in improved heavy clay or chalky soils, provided drainage is considered. Once established, it forms a stable, long-lived framework of shoots that responds well to periodic renewal pruning rather than constant intervention. Practical-gardeners
Seasonal flowering screen or informal hedge
At 125–180 cm high and up to 140 cm wide, several plants spaced around 100 cm apart form an informal hedge, giving privacy in leaf and a dramatic, single flush of colour. Sparse thorns make light trimming and access easier in narrow side gardens or along paths. Family-gardens
Large container on a patio or terrace
In a 40–50 litre or larger container with quality compost, it develops into a characterful patio shrub, bringing historic charm close to seating areas. Container use also simplifies rust management and watering routines, making seasonal care more predictable for those with hard surfaces instead of borders. Urban-owners
Cut blooms for nostalgic indoor arrangements
The medium-sized, very full rosettes with their berry-like fragrance make memorable, old-fashioned vase flowers, especially when cut in tight bud clusters. A dense flush over a defined period provides plenty of stems in early summer without requiring repeat-picking throughout the season, matching occasional home use. This suits gardeners whose plots may face brisk, salt-tinged breezes yet still want confident early-summer cutting material. Home-stylists
Styling ideas
Cottage Trio – Combine with sweet alyssum and dwarf lavender at its feet for a soft, scented understorey that highlights its velvety blooms – ideal for cottage-garden romantics.
Heritage Focus – Place one shrub as a centrepiece in a small lawn bay, edged with low box or thyme, to emphasise its historic character – suited to traditional front gardens.
Colour Echo – Weave it into a border with purple salvias and mauve catmint so its smoky crimson-purple tones are repeated in surrounding plants – perfect for colour-conscious designers.
Informal Screen – Plant a loose line along a path or boundary and intersperse with airy grasses to create a soft seasonal screen – good for family gardens needing gentle privacy.
Patio Statement – Grow it in a 50-litre terracotta pot with trailing alyssum around the rim to frame the dark foliage and blooms – ideal for terrace or courtyard owners.
Technical cultivar profile
Parameter
Data
Name and registration
Historical Gallica shrub rose marketed as CARDINAL DE RICHELIEU – Heritage rose – Parmentier; an old garden rose (Gallica) type with no registered breeder’s code but verified cultivar authenticity.
Origin and breeding
Old Rosa gallica hybrid of unknown parentage, bred by Louis-Joseph-Ghislain Parmentier in Belgium during the mid-nineteenth century and introduced around 1840 as a classic heritage garden rose.
Awards and recognition
Holds the RHS Award of Garden Merit (1993) for reliable garden performance; has also received American Rose Society show honours, including Dowager Rose Queen and Old Garden Rose bloom awards.
Growth and structural characteristics
Bushy, upright shrub reaching about 125–180 cm high and 90–140 cm wide, with dense, matt, dark green foliage, relatively sparse prickles and moderately self-cleaning flower heads that may need occasional deadheading.
Flower morphology
Medium-sized, cluster-borne blooms with over 40 petals, forming very full, rosette-shaped flowers in a single, non-remontant early summer flush, ideal for creating a concentrated seasonal display and nostalgic cut stems.
Colour data and phenology
Closed buds are almost black-purple, opening to deep, velvety crimson-purple with lilac and bluish-grey tones; under heat the colour lightens to smoky lavender-lilac, remaining richest and darkest in cooler conditions.
Fragrance and aroma
Moderate but distinct fragrance combining balsamic and berry-like notes, most noticeable in still, cool air; dense petal formation enhances scent retention around the shrub, especially during peak early summer flowering.
Hip characteristics
Very double flowers limit pollination, so hips are few; when present they are spherical, approximately 14–22 mm across, coloured red-orange and of mainly ornamental rather than wildlife or culinary interest.
Resistance and winter hardiness
Rated to about -32 to -29 °C (RHS H7, USDA Zone 4b, Swedish Zone 5), with moderate resistance to powdery mildew and black spot but marked susceptibility to rust, so occasional targeted plant protection may be required.
Horticultural recommendations
Best in sunny or lightly shaded beds and borders at 100–180 cm spacing; prefers fertile, well-drained soil, responds well to annual pruning after flowering and benefits from improved air circulation to reduce rust pressure.
CARDINAL DE RICHELIEU offers velvety historic colour, a bushy long-lived shrub form and concentrated summer flowering on a dependable own-root plant, making it a thoughtful choice if you value characterful roses that quietly earn their place.
Detailed product attributes
Product Identification Data
Product Name:
CARDINAL DE RICHELIEU – deep purple historic Gallica rose - Parmentier
Product Type:
pharmaROSA® ORIGINAL - 2-litre own-root potted rose
Competition and Show Awards:
RHS Award of Garden Merit (1993); American Rose Society – Dowager Rose Queen (2001); American Rose Society – Old Garden Rose Bloom or Spray (2020)
Pollinator Attraction:
Its very double blooms conceal the stamens, so it is poorly attractive to pollinators, since bloom form (simple/semi‑double/double) and stamen accessibility strongly affect pollinator attraction.
Pollinator-Friendly Rating:
Its very double flowers enclose the stamens, making it primarily an ornamental variety.
Hip Comment:
Fruit set (hips) is expected to be low due to the double flowers; it occasionally produces spherical, 14–22 mm in diameter, red–orange hips.
Our product is a rose grown with pharmaROSA®’s unique cultivation technology!
2-litre, own-root, potted rose.
With a shoot system appropriate to the season.
With a root system that thoroughly permeates the growing medium.
Quality compliant with the requirements of the E.N.A. (European Nurserystock Association).
Supplied in unique packaging that prevents damage.
Can be planted during frost-free periods.
True-to-variety rose bush with a unique identifier.
The pharmaROSA® own-root potted rose is a well-rooted plant that supports reliable establishment when planted and cared for properly, so it can be planted whenever the soil is not frozen.
Crop overview: several varieties and growth stages in a short crop section.Shoot system: intensive growth of fresh basal shoots on a young plant.Root system: demonstration of a vigorous root system permeating the growing medium, by removing the pot.Balance: mature plant with root system and shoots in harmony with each other.
Information about the videos
The video series is not a “seasonal showcase”; it illustrates the essence of pharmaROSA® own-root cultivation in a tangible way: how the plant is built up, what the root system is like and how the shoot system regenerates. The recordings were therefore made at different times and with plants at various stages of development, so mixed foliage levels and differing stages of growth may appear in the videos. They are not a ‘sample’ of the batch dispatched, but a visual explanation of how the technology works. The current condition of the rose available to order — typical for the given period and similar to what you can expect to receive in the parcel — is shown in the upper part of the product page.
Pages for private customers Garden roses for the family garden, with minimal care → ORIGINAL® Premium garden roses – instant impact, a truly showpiece garden → EXTRA® Pages for professionals and private customers Roses for public spaces – large areas, sustainable maintenance → NATURAL® Roses for projects – hedge and row planting, fast implementation → RAPID® For professional partners only Production – propagation material for garden roses, wholesale → NEONATAL®
Company details
PharmaRosa Ltd. Company registration number: 01-09-717479 VAT number: 13075314-2-43 Plant health registration no.: HU130721 Bank account (IBAN): HU85117631891388688400000000 BIC (SWIFT): OTPVHUHB Bank name: OTP Bank Nyrt.
