Sunday, January 15, 2023

Gallica roses

Gallica Roses are the most ancient rose group comprising big, bushy shrubs with bristly stems and excellent foliage. The flowers range in colour from pink through to the darkest maroon and can be single or most often double. They are prized for their wonderful scent as well as their medicinal properties.

Important Gallicas include the Apothecary’s Rose or Officinalis, which can be traced back to Medieval times and is known as red rose of Lancaster. Rosa Mundi or Rosa gallica ‘Versicolor’ is a classic old rose often seen in Tudor styled gardens, it is a mutation of Officinalis which has distinctive white splashing and striping to the petals. Duchesse de Montebello, to me the most beautiful Gallica with stunning light pink quartered blooms. Charles de Mills, the most beautiful purple Gallica with red turning to purple rosettes.

What you need to remember:

Big shrubs (150X150)

Can create suckers 

Once flowering for 5 weeks

Only prune after three years 

Prune directly after flowering 

Strong fragrance 

Very healthy 

Shade tolerant 

Very hardy zone 4b


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