For me in the Calif foothills, it has the deepest color during the beginning of the first flush, when the temperature is still relatively cool. By the end of the first flush, and for later blooms, it's more of a medium lilac-pink than a deep red-violet, like at first. And there does seem to be quite a lot of fragrance, sometimes. (Warm moist weather, maybe?) Very vigorous and full and bushy right now - as long as I can keep the deer away.