Rosa ‘Scepter’d Isle’ caught my eye during our visit to Bodnant Garden in Wales this week. The garden opens until 8 o’clock in the evening some Wednesdays during the summer (please check details online before visiting) so we could arrive fashionably late and still enjoy a (very) warm evening stroll.
We had planned to go a week or so earlier – given the choice, I prefer to catch the roses slightly before their peak when they are at their freshest, before the garden has time to need dead-heading. Winds gusting at 35-40mph put paid to that idea. Although the rose garden was a touch further on, it was still looking lovely, with rambling roses in flower on the many pergolas.
I photographed ‘Scepter’d Isle’ a couple of years ago, early in the day when it was covered in dew (click here to see the post). The earlier shot is softer, perhaps more alluring, but I like this one too, for its classic look – it shows the chalice shaped blooms so characteristic of this David Austin variety.
Susan Rushton 
Roses are eternal beauty… no matter when the shot has been taken 🤗🤗🤗
I’m glad you think that! 🙂
Very nice photo. I prefer this to your earlier “dew” shot because this one seems to not have opened quite as much which for some reason appeals to me.
The open orb shape is very attractive – and all that light and shade it gives.
I think all your photos of roses are beautiful. I know you know David Austin roses. 🙂 ‘Scepter’d Isle’ reminds me of the one I purchased this year: ‘Boscobel’. Are you familiar with that one? Would love your opinion.
One of my favourite new ones! I reviewed it last week on my blog!
I do know ‘Boscobel’. That one has an unusual colour, a nice flower form and tends not to get as big as some of the others. I have a picture of it looking positively salmon coloured the year it was introduced and remember being told ‘You’ll never see it quite that colour again’ (the weather conditions must have been unusual).
Lovely image, Susan, as were the ones with the dew. You just can’t go wrong with a pink rose!
So true – the lighter pink ones are a dream to photograph.
Lovely picture.
Thank you.
How beautiful!!!
Thanks, Dawn.
Lucky you at Bodnant, one of my favourite gardens. Fabulous rose.
We missed the laburnum flowers again, but we saw the long arch with them all hanging down, faded, which gave a good impression of what the effect must be at their peak.
It could almost be mistaken for a peony, couldn’t it. Quite beautiful. I’m really happy with my roses this year, they seem to like the weather and luckily for me, they are pacing their blooming time. Or maybe my having to plant some in shade and semi-shade has given them a longer-seeming flowering season.
I’m glad they’re having a good year. I imagine the conditions have been good for well-established plants, but more challenging for newly planted ones. You’re right – this one is very peony-like.
Utterly gorgeous. It is similar in flower form to ‘Royal Jubilee’, but paler. I love that shape.
That’s a good comparison. ‘Scepter’d Isle’ flowers are quite variable and can look semi-double later in the year. ‘Royal Jubilee’ tends to nod a bit more as the flowers are larger.
Wonderful blossoms! So full, yet so delicate…
I’m glad you liked them.
Just lovely – colour and shape – all of it.
It is a classic rose, even though it looks more like a peony!
Of course you know that I love the way that amazing bud is elbowing its way to the foreground. I wonder how many shades of pink it’s wearing. I visited the older blog post and was just as charmed by the buds there too. How gorgeous summer can be! Thank you!
Those buds you like so much can be a bit on the pesky side, elbowing their way in (and out of focus). I am still experimenting with them as promised!