I don’t have a very elegant camera, so I am finding it really hard to get a picture (as promised) that does this wonderful plant justice.
However, you can see the dark buds and stems here – quite unlike L. grandiflora:
(Click on it for a bigger picture…)
Helen Yemm 
Absolutely right, nothing like L. grandiflora. It’s like comparing a show pony to a carthorse. I do have a soft spot for L. grandiflora, though, because of its ability to survive ANYWHERE.