Origin
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The Gallica roses are native to central and southern Europe. These roses have naturally evolved over centuries into the plants
we now know. Some of these roses date back to before written word and our first reading of them was by the Greeks and
Romans. Although they are very old, this family of roses was of the first to be developed by breeders early in the 1800's.
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It is said in Graham Thomas's book "Old Roses" that as early as 1629 an English botanist named John Parkinson had listed
twelve varieties known to them at that time. It is well known that by the 1800 there was well over 1000 varieties of Gallica
roses in catalogues across Europe and Asia.
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As with most of the old roses that bloom only once, the Gallicas fell to the wayside in gardens as most people wanted
the repeat flowering Hyb. Tea type roses such as the Hyb. Perpetual and thus the old once blooming varieties slipped
into abilvion with the majority never to to grown or found again.
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The complex crossing of all known roses in the early 1800's let to all diverent kinds of blooms amidst the family of Gallica
roses. Blooms range from single petaled species to very double forms within the same family. Their growth habit is still mostly
fairly short (3'-4') tall and they all sucker out making the bush much wider than talll.
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All are relatively winter hardy to zone 4. Their foliage is of a medium,grey/green colour and the leaves are of a coarse
texture. Some can be prone to blackspot and mildew if the conditions are right but as most of the old roses do, they can
be left alone and the plant will go on about it's business and survive quite nicely.
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