Mine is quite a short spreading shrub, as were all the ones I have ever seen in other gardens. I think it is a rose that would benefit from being planted where one could look at it close up, set off by a background of silvery foliage, perhaps. The flowers are really very small, though they have great distinction. Daphne Filiberti, who I think gardens in Southern California, says hers needs support, however. What a great website she has. I am attaching a link to her very artistic picture. Here is a link that might be useful: Daphne Filiberti's portrait of Cardinal de Richelieu bloom

I have two beds using Gallicas, where they will be free to spread but are restricted from the rest of the garden. One is bordered by pavement, the other is raised from ground-level and is bordered by railroad ties. In both are limbed-up arbor vitae, so those Gallicas were chosen because I figured that their vigorous roots would be able to compete with those of the evergreens. In the first bed, from left to right, are 'Rosa moschata' single-form, "Sissinghurst Castle", 'Tricolore de Flandre', 'Tuscany Superb' and 'Reverend Seidel'. 'Buff Beauty' will be planted in the rear, just off-center, and will be trained to climb against the fence. In the second bed, from left to right, are "Secret Garden Musk Climber", 'Charles de Mills', 'Georges Vibert', 'Cardinal de Richelieu' and "Darlow's Enigma". In this bed, the climber (not the Tea) "Sombreuil" is planted in the rear, just off-center, and is already trained to climb against the fence. I was going for "light against dark" with regards to flower color. In front of the second bed is another bed, separated by railroad ties and about six inches lower in elevation, with shorter-growing repeat-blooming roses (as of now...companion perennials will be coming in Spring to fill in spaces between everything). In front and to the right of 'Cardinal de Richelieu' is 'Souvenir de la Malmaison'. In front and to the left is 'Golden Buddha'. So I'll be seeing that nice purple against pink-striped-white on the left, white on the right, golden yellow in front to the left, and pale pink in front to the right, with a bit of a backdrop of white against the fence. I tried repeating that idea of framing the dark-flowered roses with lighter-flowered roses throughout the garden, so each sets the other off. :-) ~Christopher

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

Rosecavalier, off topic...I came across a photo of your Alba Semi Plena last night - what a marvelous sight. I have to share with you that when I began growing roses my father-in-law asked me if I'd ever heard of this rose, a.k.a. White Rose of York. Dad was a B-17 pilot in WW-II and his plane was named Rose of York. It's a bit hard to see but the photo below shows the nose art; that's Princess Elizabeth at the plan's christening. Well, I'd looked up the rose previously and it didn't make much of an impression on me and I forgot about it. After seeing yours I've decided to grow one in Dad's honor; he'll be tickled. (No not next to the Cardinal! I have a great spot on the side of our old barn). I have to say it is immensely helpful to find photos here of roses growing in real home gardens.