I struggle with Gallicas in conditions that sound similar to the ones you describe. We have fine lilacs and peonies too. My experience is that in our climate Gallicas hate our big garden, which is in full sun and full wind, has extremely compact clay soil, and gets very dry in the summer. (Hybrid Musks are also unhappy there, while Bourbons, Albas, Teas and Chinas, and Damasks by and large do well.) We have another area in part shade and with a drainage running through and with a wood downhill. The Gallicas are much happier there. In the big garden there's an area that is wetter than the rest, has thick grass and where I'm planting trees and shrubs in the vicinity. The Gallicas in this area are also doing fairly well. So, to sum up, put your Gallicas in the cooler and moister parts of your garden, if you have such. Give them some shade, and if you can place them in the vicinity of trees and large shrubs to benefit from their leaf drop, cooling effect, and protection from drying winds, so much the better. Of course keep a thick organic mulch on them, but that's true for all roses. I love Gallicas too, and work at finding places where they'll do well for me.
Melissa

Thanks Melissa. What you described is exactly the conditions that I have. In fact, today we will have 70 mph winds, which is not atypical for us. I will be doing some replanting and I will be moving the Gallicas to a shadier and more protected part of the garden like you suggested.

Jeff

Hi Jeff, I don't feel so bad about our 40mph winds today, now that I am hearing about yours at 70!

I have very hot dry summer/fall seasons. I find my Gallicas do best with strong morning and early afternoon sun with protection from the late afternoon heat and prevailing winds. I had some that were languishing in a semi-shady spot. Once moved to a sunnier location, they put on good growth.

Seems it takes some Gallicas a little longer to establish here than other classes.

Thanks for your suggestion. We have many wind farms around here because of the wind. Unfortunately, I was informed recently that the wind farms are responsible for the deaths of thousands of bats every year. How sad. Anyway, I have been eyeing the Gallicas that Paul Barden has created for Rogue Valley Roses. With yours and Melissa's advice, I feel confident about trying a few of his Gallicas. Thanks!

Jeff

I'm glad Greybird wrote in; I wonder if there might be a difference in our experience with Gallicas because of our different latitudes. I'm just below the 45th Parallel and summer days here are incredibly long. I agree that morning sun is the best; in our case, also because our hot dry winds come from the west, so that's where I want the tree/shrub protective belt to be.
Melissa

Jeff, your problem is not the dry weather (tho you will have to irrigate). Your problem is lack of chill hours.

Those Gallicas, Albas, Damasks -- they all evolved to need some winter chill.
Here at the coast, we have virtually no chill hours, so these roses will grow for a 3-4 years, and then start to falter.
They will never produce the volume of bloom they produce after a chilly winter.

The San Jose Heritage Rose Garden gets just enough chill to get a decent bloom out of them.
Descanso Gardens gets bloom -- and I've seen the silly things bloom there in January.

You're enough inland, it might work for you. Give 'em a try.
I'll never regret having grown Crested Moss, Rosa Mundi, Belle Isis, and Leda -- even though they didn't last here.

Jeri

Jeri's suggestion made me think that you could do well by reading which Gallica roses are grown at San Jose Heritage Rose Garden, on their website and choose a couple Gallica roses from that list, they grow more than a dozen Gallica cultivars. Your site may be colder in winter than in San Jose, which would help.

If you are madly in love with Gallica roses this won't help but Hybrid China class rosebushes are supposed to do better where there is little winter chill, than the Old European Roses, such as Gallica roses that have with no China rose genetic influence, which makes sense to me when considering their genetic make-up. I'm a fan of "de la Grifferai" and it always blooms very well here in Oakland, where we go several years at a time without having frost. It also has a slightly longer bloom cycle than roses from the Old European Rose classes typically do.

Luxrosa

Also, check your pH. De la Grifferaie -- among the most beautiful of roses -- couldn't stand my alkaline conditions. Lux, I envy you. I love that rose.

But yes! The Hybrid Chinas are a good compromise. They need far less winter chill.

Jeri

Thanks Jeri and Luxrosa for the advice and suggestions. I never thought about referencing San Jose Heritage Gardens' list of Gallicas. This is where I will start first to figure out which Gallicas will work in my climate. We are much colder here in the winter than San Jose. If they still do not work because of the lack of chill as Jeri pointed out, I will next try the Hybrid Chinas, which I have never considered planting. Thank you for all your help.

Jeff

If lilacs and peonies grow well in your area, I doubt winter chill will be a problem, because they require that too.

Jeff,

I'm not sure where you are. If it's any reference point for you, I grew lots of gallicas, albas, etc., in Fresno, and they always got enough chilling there and bloomed well.

--Ron

I'm in Tehachapi, CA, about two hours from Fresno. We are a lot colder than Fresno and have a longer winter. Anything special that you do to the Gallicas to make them grow in your area? Thanks.

Jeff

Jeff, We had rose-growing friends in Tehachapi (alas, they have moved) but (judging from their experience) you should get enough winter chill to do quite well with Gallicas there.

Just for insurance sake, though, throw in some borderline cases like Cardinal de Richelieu.
But DO give Crested Moss a try. Not a Gallica, but WHAT a rose!

They had a nice little collection of some of the more unusual species roses there, as well. I've wondered sometimes what has happened with their garden.

Jeri

This is a question I wanted to ask as well ever since I saw pics of Paul Barden's 'Marianne'! It sound like we have similar conditions, Jeff Zephyr. We also have beautiful lilacs and peonies but VERY hot, dry summers. We live near Redding. If I get Marianne, I'm going to follow Melissa's advice and put it in the coolest, wettest place I have. After I discovered Marianne I thought about checking out the Sac City Cemetery to see if they have any Gallicas. I'll also check out San Jose Heritage Rose Garden after reading this.

Here is a link that might be useful: Marianne on HMF

The SJHRG DOES have Gallicas, among other once-blooming Northern European roses. They even have one absolutely magnificent probable H.gallica, which is an open pollinated seedling, registered from the Heritage.

Jeri Jennings

Here is a link that might be useful: 'The French Strumpet' at SJHRG