Rosa Gallica Association
It is a pleasure to announce the debut of an English edition of the ROSA GALLICA newsletters in spring 2005. Two issues will be published per year, one in spring, the other in fall. These semiannual issues will present an assortment of articles that appeared in previous newsletters in the French language. Their selection will be based on delivering the latest information on the historic French varieties, which are the specialized interest of the association.
Many rosarians are familiar with François Joyaux and his work as author of many books including La Rose de France. La Rose de France is recognized as the preeminent reference for study of the Gallicas. The publishing of the book rejuvenated a great interest in these historic varieties. The book is both beautiful to look at and is a pleasure to read. The ROSA GALLICA Association may be less known and might need a little introduction.
The genesis of ROSA GALLICA began in 1992 when François Joyaux started the ROSA GALLICA collection, known as the Roseraie de la Cour de Commer. This has become an exceptional collection, which currently includes approximately 1,300 roses. An essential feature of the garden is its 300 varieties of Gallicas, making it the most comprehensive collection of Gallicas in the world.
The collection was created with the highest principles of preservation in mind. The roses that are selected to comprise the collection at Cour de Commer are not chosen based on their aesthetics but because they are in need of conservation. Varieties that bloom once a year may be more threatened by extinction than others because they are not as popular and are not as distributed in commerce. The association gives priority to those varieties based on their historic significance. Roses that were no longer in commerce have been systematically reintroduced from the collection. This is nothing less than an ultimate achievement for any preservationist.
The garden became formally recognized as a national collection in 1998. A catalogue of the Gallicas in the collection was published under the title La Rose de France that same year. The ROSA GALLICA Association was also founded during that same time.
The Association's objectives are to promote the study and conservation of the historic French varieties. Beginning in spring 1999, the Association began publishing newsletters to document and inform others of the important work that was happening within the organization. The Association is at the core of an important network of rosarians, public and private rose gardens, specialized hybridizers, scientists and so on. It has become a cultural center of study on all aspects of historic French varieties. Its newsletters are a creative and inspiring resource to gain perspective into the rose world.
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