Here's a photo....

Another photo.... Sorry. I can't figure out how to place more than one on a single message.

Pale blooms in my garden are general sun faded....

You don't need to brew alfalfa tea. Go to a feed/farm/ranch store and buy a bag of alfalfa pellet horse feed. About ten bucks. Just toss them by the handful around your plants. I go through a bag a year. They are great. I also use Rose Tone on my Clems.

Thanks buyorsell, I'll get those pellets. Well, I'm waiting to see how the other buds look when they open! And I'll give it time. I don't think it's the sun because it only really gets morning sun and this year so far we've had way too many cloudy, cooler days!

I've had the same problem you've had with my Lincoln Star. Mine is 3-4 years old, with no problems growing & flowering, but the reddish bar color is very pale, during both 1st & 2nd blooms. I don't think fertilizer is the problem, because all my stock get the same regimen & this is the only problem child. Initially I thought it might be due to the very hot weather here (9a), but this should not affect the 1st bloom. I've layered one branch and thereafter plan to severely prune & move this one into another location. If this doesn't work I will probably try Carnaby, which is similar.