Ceanothus ‘Puget Blue’

In mid-spring, this spreading, evergreen shrub is an arresting sight, smothered in dense clusters of dark blue flowers. It makes a superb specimen plant for a south or west-facing border among spring-flowering bulbs, and when it has finished flowering, provides an excellent foil for later-flowering deciduous shrubs and perennials. It needs a protected site, as the deeply veined, dark green leaves are easily scorched by cold, drying winds.