Mine came from Wayside 15 years ago.
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I don't have photos of the blooms, but they are grape popsicle purple.

Don't know about the different clones - ours in the cemetery was donated by someone who rustled roses, so ours may be found. It's pretty darned purple.
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Last year's bloom was the best ever - we had about three weeks of sub-freezing temps last year, and the Gallicas were glorious. This winter has been much milder, so it will be interesting to see how they do.
Anita

There are not different "clones" of 'Cardinal de Richelieu' but there may be mislabeled plants out there, masquerading as the Cardinal. Its blooms are an unmistakable "Concord grape" purple. It has a paler mauve petal reverse, especially evident when the blooms are starting to open. The new blooms have a way of forming a tight rounded ball of petals that unfold suddenly, all at once. The new shoots have a distinctly pepper-like scent when rubbed, and the canes are generally thin and willowy, with relatively few thorns. These characteristics as a whole should help you determine whether you have the correct plant or not.

Regards,
Paul

The ones here at the National Arboretum were incredibly purple last year - like Concord grape frosted with slate-grey. If you have a mind to, you could pop up for a visit when yours are in bloom for a comparison; they occupy a fairly large corner of the gallica bed, since there are several plants suckering on their own roots (they might get culled because of this, although I'm not sure how soon). They should be experiencing similar climate and weather conditions to yours.

I'll keep an eye on mine and see if it is as purple as can be. I would imagine Ashdown has the real McCoy.. it's definitely nearly thornless with thin wiry stems.

Robert

Robert, here is a photo of that "rounded ball" that Paul was talking about, showing off the lighter reverse:
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And here, fully open:
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(My CdR is from Great Lakes Roses, BTW)

Anne