Does anyone know which (few) Gallicas do well, or at least okay in the hot, humid south? Where's @melba when I need her?

Gallicas are at their best in zones 4-8. That's where they produce the most blooms. I'm growing five of them, but only two perform superbly -- Belle de Crecy and Cardinal de Richelieu.

Rose (Rosa 'Belle de Crecy')

Hybrid China Rose (Rosa 'Cardinal de Richelieu')

Do you have toast on your mind? If you meant to type @melva, I talked to her on the phone a couple of days ago. She lost her kitty (Corky) and is currently thinking of taking in three new cats.

Oops! No toast, thanks! I am glad that you stay in touch with Melva, and I hope she takes in at least three new cats; she has lost too much recently. I remember her saying that she grew only the Gallicas that did well in our climate and hoped she could recommend a couple. It seems that every time I admire an old rose in a catalogue, it turns out to be a Gallica. Cardinal de Richelieu was one of them. (I have now corrected four more typos, and spell check does not like the way I spell catalog, so I quit!) Thanks, Zuzu.

Way back when we were still in Cubits, Melva posted a pictue of this one, so I would bet it grew well for her.



One old thread included a list of the gallica cuttings she was selling at that time:

Canary Island Gallica
Charles De Mills
Cramoisi des Alpes
Crimson Gallica
Shailer's Provence