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
– Historic Gallica with aristocratic presence
– Velvety crimson‑purple blooms with smoky lilac tones
– Very full, classic rosette flowers in clusters
– Moderate, balsamic and berry‑like fragrance
– Robust H7 hardiness to around –30 °C
– Special feature: Decorated with RHS Award of Garden Merit and multiple American Rose Society titles for outstanding garden and exhibition performance.
Pollinator-friendly approach – Secure ordering
eleanorROSE® ORIGINAL 2-litre own-root potted rose
19,00 £
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
Step through your front gate and be greeted by the velvety depth of CARDINAL DE RICHELIEU, a heritage Gallica rose that brings composed balance to compact London-style gardens and terrace fronts. Its bushy, upright form and shrub habit make it ideal where space is precious, while dense, matt dark-green foliage frames the opulent rosette blooms. Bred in 19th‑century Belgium and honoured with the RHS Award of Garden Merit, it offers reassuring reliability for busy homeowners who want beauty without fuss. The flowers open in rich plum-crimson and age to smoky lavender, giving weeks of drama before petals fall gently away. Own‑root planting means a long-lived, regenerating framework that copes steadily with cool, damp UK summers and blustery showers, supporting gardens where good drainage helps manage frequent rainfall. In its first year it quietly builds roots, in the second year structure, and by the third year you enjoy its full historic character.
Cardinal de Richelieu shown in potted sales condition
Usage options
Target area
Reasoning
Narrow London front garden hedge
Planted at around 100 cm centres, its tall, bushy habit and dense foliage create a living boundary that screens parked cars and bins without feeling overbearing. The once‑a‑year flush gives a concentrated season of colour that suits time-poor beginners.
Statement shrub by the front door
As a solitary shrub at 180 cm spacing, this rose forms a handsome, sparsely thorned structure with velvety blooms at eye level, ideal beside steps or porches. The own‑root form builds a stable, long‑lived presence that suits settled homeowners.
Historic-style mixed flower bed
Its medium-sized, very full rosette flowers and dense, matt leaves slot naturally into cottage and heritage schemes, combining well with catmint, sage or dwarf lavender. The once‑blooming display delivers a memorable seasonal highlight for romantic gardeners.
Rainwater-conscious clay or chalk border
This variety tolerates typical UK conditions of cool summers and blustery showers, responding well where improved drainage helps manage frequent heavy rain on clay or chalky soils. Its resilient framework suits low‑input, sustainable-minded city-dwellers.
Urban park and communal planting
The robust shrub structure, H7 hardiness and moderate heat tolerance allow it to cope with exposed corners of shared greens, where irrigation is occasional. Once established, it offers years of seasonal colour for budget-aware managers.
Large container on terrace or courtyard
In a 40–50 litre pot with good drainage, its upright, contained habit and moderate height work well beside railings or seating, giving fragrance without overwhelming the space. Own‑root resilience supports long-term potted use for mobile renters.
Cut blooms for the house
The very full, velvety flowers with a moderate, balsamic-berry fragrance make characterful stems for vases during their main flush, especially in cooler spells when colour is deepest. This concentrated harvest window appeals to occasional flower-cutting enthusiasts.
Background structure in wildlife-friendly schemes
Though its very double flowers are of limited value to pollinators, the dense, sparsely thorned framework and occasional hips can add shelter and seasonal interest within a layered planting that supports other wildlife-focused planners.
Styling ideas
Terrace-Theatre – Underplant with dwarf lavender and silver foliage for a calm, repeatable scheme that lets the deep purple blooms command attention – ideal for style-conscious townhouse owners.
Heritage-Ribbon – Run a loose hedge along a front boundary, weaving in catmint and soft grasses to echo period planting – suited to those restoring older properties.
Plum-Courtyard – In a 50 litre clay pot, pair with trailing sweet alyssum for scented edging and a soft colour fade – perfect for compact, paved spaces.
Gallery-Bed – Combine with tall foxgloves and old-style perennials to create a once-a-year show that feels like a living painting – appealing to lovers of historic gardens.
Twilight-Corner – Place near a bench with pale companion flowers so the smoky lilac tones read well in evening light – ideal for those who unwind outdoors after work.
Technical cultivar profile
Property
Data
Name and registration
CARDINAL DE RICHELIEU is a historical Gallica rose, also sold as a heritage shrub rose under the Parmentier name; it is an unregistered cultivar with the ARS exhibition name Cardinal de Richelieu.
Origin and breeding
A Rosa gallica hybrid of unknown parentage, bred in Belgium by Louis-Joseph-Ghislain Parmentier around the mid-19th century, introduced circa 1840 and now valued internationally as an old garden rose.
Awards and recognition
Holds the RHS Award of Garden Merit (1993), confirming strong garden performance under UK conditions; also recognised by the American Rose Society in Dowager and Old Garden Rose show classes.
Growth and structural characteristics
Forms a bushy shrub 125–180 cm high and 90–140 cm wide with dense, matt, dark-green foliage and relatively sparse prickles, giving a substantial yet manageable framework in mixed or hedge plantings.
Flower morphology
Bears medium-sized, very full rosette flowers in clusters, with more than 40 petals; it is not remontant, producing a single, generous main flush, and has moderate self-cleaning requiring some deadheading.
Colour data and phenology
Colour ranges from dark, almost black-purple buds to rich crimson-purple opening blooms, then velvety plum-lilac, finally fading to smoky lavender-lilac; colour holds best in cooler conditions and lightens in heat.
Fragrance and aroma
Emits a noticeable, moderate-strength fragrance with balsamic and berry-like notes, particularly appreciable close-up around doorways or seating; scent is most pronounced in cooler, still weather.
Hip characteristics
Very double flowers mean low hip set, though occasional spherical hips 14–22 mm across may form, colouring red–orange and adding small points of autumn interest among the dark foliage.
Resistance and winter hardiness
Hardy to approximately −32 to −29 °C (RHS H7, USDA 4b), with moderate resistance to black spot and powdery mildew but noted susceptibility to rust, so occasional monitoring and treatment may be required.
Horticultural recommendations
Best in well-drained soil with sun or light shade; allow 100–180 cm spacing depending on use, improve clay, water in droughts, and prune lightly as a shrub rose while maintaining its strong historic character.
CARDINAL DE RICHELIEU offers velvety, award-backed seasonal drama, reliable shrub structure and long-lived own-root resilience for those planning a thoughtful, enduring front-garden feature, and is well worth considering now.
Detailed product attributes
Product Identification Data
Product Name:
CARDINAL DE RICHELIEU – deep purple historic Gallica rose - Parmentier
Product Type:
eleanorROSE® 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.
