The early blooms produced from the older wood are double, with single blooms produced on new wood later in the season. The double blooms open a deep rosy-lavender which matures to a deep lilac-mauve. They have an outer layer of six to eight broad tepals with pronounced reddish-purple tips and undulating margins. The many inner layers of shorter pointed tepals have very wavy, almost twisted margins that show their deep mauve-pink reverse. The later single blooms are lilac-mauve and the stamens have white filaments and yellow anthers.
Vyvyan Pennell is suitable for growing in containers or planting in the garden.