I think this must be the same tree--a photo I took last year at the garden, showing the real range of colour that one can observe on this magnificent specimen (possibly my favourite ornamental tree).
Can anyone confirm?
PS Why do the petals in this year's photos appear withered?
Yes - this is the same tree. As for the withered look, it most likely has to do with the light. The shadows caused by direct sunlight bring out the texture in the petals (tepals, actually) - you can see a bit of it in the previous year's picture, as well.
Another small factor might be the number of days after the tepals emerge. New tepals seem to look the crispest.
