Deep, velvety crimson-purple base colour with subtle lilac undertones. Slight wine-red tones appear in darker lighting conditions. - historic, gallica rose - strong, far-scented rose - full, classic gallica scent
– XL, very double rosette blooms in clusters
– Deep crimson‑purple colour with lilac undertones
– Strong, far‑scented classic gallica fragrance
– Hardy to severe winter cold, RHS H7
– Medium disease resistance, suitable for beds
– Special feature: Historic 18th‑century rose with RHS Award of Garden Merit.
Long-lasting plant – Sustainable gardenscape
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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CHARLES DE MILLS – purple-lilac historic Gallica rose
Historic Charles de Mills brings a richly traditional presence to modest British gardens, combining reliable once-a-year summer flowering with impressive longevity and a naturally upright, dense habit that fits neatly into borders and hedges. The large, rosette blooms in deep crimson-purple with lilac nuances create a striking focal point, while a strong, classic gallica fragrance lends a romantic cottage character around paths, windows and seating areas. Medium care needs suit hobby gardeners willing to do light seasonal tasks, helped by its shade-tolerance for sites that never get full sun all day and by its solid winter hardiness in colder districts and exposed spots with brisk coastal winds and driving rain. On its own roots it settles steadily, giving a durable, balanced shrub that matures from root-building to full ornamental presence over its first three summers, and provides a quietly enduring structure for family gardens over many years.
Closed bud of Charles de Mills, showing dark crimson-purple tones.
Charles de Mills in full bloom, showing deep crimson-purple rosettes.
Usage options
Target area
Reasoning
Front garden feature shrub
As a medium-sized upright shrub, Charles de Mills forms a dense, leafy mound with a single, dramatic summer flush of huge rosette blooms that instantly reads as “traditional rose” from the street. Once established, it only needs moderate routine care, giving a stable, long-lived focal point for those wanting classic impact without constant tinkering, particularly beginners.
Cottage-style mixed border
The intensely coloured, very double flowers and strong gallica scent bring classic cottage atmosphere among perennials and grasses, while own-root growth builds a durable framework that regenerates well if you ever need to rejuvenate or move it. This suits relaxed, flower-rich borders where you want character and history with manageable upkeep for homeowners.
Flowering hedge or boundary line
Planted at hedge spacing, its upright, slightly thorny, leafy growth knits into a seasonal flowering barrier that looks solid even after the bloom period. Medium maintenance and good winter hardiness mean an enduring, traditional hedge structure that copes with typical British weather patterns for families.
Part-shade side garden or north-facing aspect
This variety tolerates partial shade, so it works along side paths or beside buildings where sun is limited but you still want a show of roses. The once-a-season display is concentrated and memorable, while own-root resilience supports long life even where light levels are less than ideal for many varieties for town-gardeners.
Low-maintenance historical rose collection
With an RHS Award of Garden Merit and centuries of cultivation behind it, Charles de Mills is a dependable choice for anyone curating a small heritage corner. Disease resistance and care needs are moderate rather than demanding, yet the shrub remains structurally sound and attractive over many years, rewarding patient collectors.
Summer scent near seating or paths
The strong, far-reaching gallica fragrance is ideal by benches, front doors or along paths where you pass close by during its main flowering period. Even outside its bloom window, the dense, matt mid-green foliage gives a settled, gardened feel without fuss, making it appealing for relaxed but atmosphere-focused gardeners.
Background planting in exposed or colder areas
With hardiness down to around -30 °C and robust shrub form, this rose offers reliable structure in colder districts or breezier, more open sites, anchoring beds that might otherwise look bare in winter. Its steady own-root development supports a long service life for practically minded owners.
Large decorative container on terrace or patio
In a generously sized container of at least 40–50 litres, Charles de Mills can be managed as a statement plant, giving historic character and fragrance close to seating, provided watering is regular because it dislikes prolonged drought and exposed drying winds in summer, which suits attentive but time-limited beginners.
Styling ideas
Cottage hedge – Create a gently waving boundary line mixed with herbaceous favourites like foxgloves and hardy geraniums for a fragrant, seasonal screen – for families who enjoy classic cottage looks.
Heritage focus – Use three plants in a loose triangle surrounded by lavender and catmint to showcase the historic character and award-winning reliability – for history-minded rose lovers.
Shaded corner – Lighten a part-shade side area with underplanting of white campanulas and ferns, letting the deep purple blooms glow against fresh foliage – for urban owners with tricky aspects.
Fragrant approach – Flank a path or front-door walk with spaced shrubs, weaving in lamb’s-ear and low grasses so the strong scent greets visitors in summer – for hosts who value sensory welcomes.
Patio statement – Grow one plant in a large clay pot with trailing thyme at the base, positioning it near seating so the once-a-year flowering becomes a seasonal highlight – for design-conscious beginners.
Technical cultivar profile
Parameter
Data
Name and registration
Charles de Mills is a historic Gallica rose marketed as a heritage cultivar; ARS exhibition name Charles de Mills; commercial type historic Gallica within the broader Historical rose group.
Origin and breeding
Raised in the Netherlands with breeding year recorded as 1786 and introduction around 1790; precise parentage and breeder are unknown, reflecting its long-established, traditional garden history.
Awards and recognition
Holds the RHS Award of Garden Merit (1993), indicating reliable garden performance, good ornamental impact and sound constitution under typical UK conditions when grown with appropriate care.
Growth and structural characteristics
Forms an upright, medium-large shrub 120–180 cm high and wide, with dense, matt mid-green foliage and only slight prickliness; spent blooms tend to remain, developing into decorative hips later.
Flower morphology
Produces very double, XL-sized rosette flowers in clusters, with more than 40 petals; as a non-remontant Gallica it blooms once per season, typically giving a concentrated, impressive summer display.
Colour data and phenology
Deep, velvety crimson-purple with lilac undertones, matching RHS 60A outer and 60C inner; colour lightens slightly with a mauve-silver edge as blooms age and can fade a little further in strong sun.
Fragrance and aroma
Noted for a strong, far-scented classic Gallica rose fragrance best appreciated near paths or seating; highly double flowers limit pollinator access, so it is grown chiefly for ornamental and scent value.
Hip characteristics
Where spent blooms are left on the bush, it sets moderate numbers of small spherical orange-red hips, approximately 9–15 mm across, adding a simple autumn and early-winter accent to the shrub.
Resistance and winter hardiness
Shows medium resistance to powdery mildew, black spot and rust; performs moderately in heat and dislikes prolonged drought, but is very hardy in winter to about -32 °C (RHS H7, USDA zone 4b).
Horticultural recommendations
Suited to beds, hedges, specimen use and cutting; tolerates partial shade and typical UK soils with reliable watering; recommended spacing varies from around 90 cm for hedging to 165 cm as a specimen.
CHARLES DE MILLS offers an award-backed historic presence with richly scented summer flowers, reliable cold hardiness and own-root longevity, making it a thoughtful choice for gardeners planning a lasting, characterful rose planting.
Detailed product attributes
Product Identification Data
Product Name:
CHARLES DE MILLS – purple-lilac historic Gallica rose
Product Type:
pharmaROSA® ORIGINAL - 2-litre own-root potted rose
Flower Colour Description:
Deep, velvety crimson-purple base colour with subtle lilac undertones. Slight wine-red tones appear in darker lighting conditions.
Closed Bud:
Dark crimson purple, shading to nearly black towards the tip.
Newly Opened Flower:
Deep crimson mid‑tone, with a more vivid purplish sheen on the inner petal edges.
Full Bloom:
Uniform, deep crimson-purple surface with a slightly lighter crimson shade in the centre.
Before Fading:
Fading crimson with a subtle mauve‑silver sheen on the petal edges.
Colour Fading Description:
A deep, velvety crimson‑purple slightly lightens by the end of opening, with a mauve-silvery tone appearing along the petal edges; in strong sunlight it fades a little further.
Pollinator Attraction:
The very double flower form limits pollinators’ access to the stamens and thus reduces attractiveness, although butterflies may appear occasionally.
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.
