To me, the main difference in appearance is that Nahema has a fuller bloom consisting of many more petals. It also has beautiful but "sturdier" look to the budding and blooming canes. I haven't grown it, but wonder if it might sometimes have balling problems--many of the pictures show it getting only partly open. Someone who grows it should comment on that.

Whereas, in typical Austin fashion, Scepter'd Isle has a more limpid simplicity on its gracefully arching canes and delicacy of blooms with their thin outer petals and gold centers that are often exposed as the bloom matures.

Scepter'd Isle. (Sorry, don't have a pic of Nahema.)

Hope that helps. If you have the space, get both. They are both lovely.

Kate

Kate, I never tire of this picture. I wonder how well this rose would do in my very different climate. For me it's a standout among the Austin roses. Nahema also seems quite gorgeous in pictures I've seen, although in a different way.

The Delbard that has most intrigued me this season is Soeur Emmanuelle, which is being sold by Palatine. But I love the elegant Nahema, too, but have only seen photos. I'm going to check out Scepter'd Isle right away. Sorry I'm no help, but confused by all the beauty. Diane

Well it does help that there isn't a clear 'winner'. Love "limpid roses", like southern belles with their mint juleps? Guess that's languid. I'm wondering if I need to order Scepter before Chamblee's no longer has it. But had Nahema high on the List. Oh I wish there were room for both.

Soeur Emmanuelle would be in charge of all the belles. Neat color.

I think Scepter's blooms can be called both limpid and languid. Like a southern belles with her mint julep--perfect description!

Kate

I have both and the advantage Nahema has over Scepter d'isle is FRAGRANCE! Nothing compares to the fragrance of nahema. It is absolutely divine. It not myrhh at all but sweet sweet rose. Nahema is also almost completely thornless and very disease resistant. Both have gorgeous blooms, but if i had to choose it would have to be nahema.

I don't know Scepter'd Isle, but have seen Nahema (in southern Tasmania, so a very different climate to So FL), and it is stunning. If I had a place for a climber, this is the one I would get. And, I agree, the fragrance is wonderful.

I agree with SoFL. I have only Nahema because she smells divine and flowers all the time. No balling here in hot dry zone 10. I have sniffed both SI and Nahema and Nahema's fragrance wins hands down. Very complex and strong and just wonderful. She has beautiful full blooms too. I also like her lack of thorns, easy to train as climber when you don't have to worry about the prickles. Never had to spray this plant because it is disease free. She is definitely the most repeating flowering climber I have ever come across. Nahema is one of the last roses to finish flowering in late winter. Nahema is in my opinion the best Delbard creation.

As I tend to my thorn-poked hands, Nahema is sounding good.

Oldrosarian, I bemoan my Heritage's short-lived blooms. Are Nahema's the same?

I love my Nahema also, but oldrosarian is correct... It wants to grow upright and it doesn't like rain. As we often have wet and very windy springs I prune mine later than my other roses, to try and minimise the balling. I also once saw an article about pruning lanky Bourbon canes hard and to staggered lengths so they grow more bushy and tried this this with Nahema, because I had no room for another climber. It has worked a treat...maybe you could try the same thing Titian, because it is such a lovely rose...and much cheaper than the perfume : )

Irisgal, the flowers last 2 or 3 days on the bush here.

I don't know how the two compete for fragrance, but Scepter is a fragrant rose.

irisgal...Nahema,s buds are a long time opening and it flowers in small candelabra type bunches. But by the time the flowers are open , in the PNW, they tend to be short lived. I have two of them ( yes I fell for the advertising) and one is out in the open and the other is against the gardening shed and gets an overhang and the flowers stay and look better. This is a rose to grow in your Lord & Burnham conservatory. Ha Ha

OK Rosarian. Made a note about the conservatory. I am going to have to give this more study. The pictures have not simplified matters . . . . . . . . . . I do want them both.

My two 36" standards of Scepter'd Isle have a strong myrrh fragrance. Here's the first flush of first year planting, but definitely gets better with age. The mature shrubs I have seen are breathtaking:

Scepter'd Isle on Fortuniana root stock can turn into a BIG, strong bush. Nothing limpid about it. I grew it in FL. for several years. When I knew I was moving when I retired, I grafted another one to fortuniana and brought it with me. I've been up in N.E. GA since 2008 and it grows like a weed and blooms all the time.

This photo was taken last fall (when I was having roof work done). It is about 7' tall.

That's such great news Ken because I have one on Fort that got hit by some sort of weed killer that my lawn guy put down and it was stunted for an entire year. It is now shaking it off and finally starting to grow strong. I worry that I put it in a place that doesn't get enough sun, but its hard to tell since it had that problem with the weed killer. I'm leaving it alone for now because I fear a move right now would do it in. If it doesnt recover by the fall however, I will consider moving it to a better location. Right now I have 3 Austins in a sunnier spot that are performing admirably. Particularly Pat Austin that blooms its head off and has gotten to be about 7 feet tall.

The location of my bush is on the east facing front of my home. It gets morning sun only. By 12, 1 o'clock it is in total shade. After the sun works it's way over the tree's across the street in the morning, it gets maybe 4 hrs of sun. Doesn't seem to bother it one bit.

Does nahema last long in the vase for people who live in warm climates?

Nahema is a wonderful cold climate rose that actually gets some height. So many climbers end up being shrubs here, but Nahema has climbed to the top of an obelisk, easily trainable, blooms all season, and is fuller and is just as fragrant, maybe more so, than her mother, Heritage. I didn't expect her to survive even one winter, but she is tougher than her delicate appearance would indicate.

Would Nahema or SI work pegged to a 4 foot fence? Are their canes flexible enough? There is some dappled light during the day, but I read that SI does OK in partial shade - any thoughts on Nahema and part shade? I just love the soft shell pink they both have. (And I am in GA, USA in 7b.)