Beautiful Gardens

California Dreaming

Ceanothus brings a dash of West Coast chic to any garden, with colourful, pollen-rich flowers and glossy leaves

If you’re searching for an evergreen shrub with eye-catching late-spring flowers, ceanothus is hard to beat. It originates from California so it loves a warm, sunny spot. The small glossy leaves can vary from dark green to variegated varieties like ‘Lemon and Lime’ which has contrasting splashes of creamy yellow, but the clusters of flowers are usually an intense sapphire-blue. Choose a spreading variety, like C. thyrsiflorus var. repens for planting above low walls; a more compact type like ‘Skylark’ for containers; or a traditional upright variety, such as ‘Puget Blue’ or ‘Concha’, to add impact to a bed or border. But whichever ceanothus you choose, the pollinating insects in your garden will appreciate the pollen from the flowers, and any berries that appear in autumn will be enjoyed by garden birds.

How To Care For Your Ceanothus

Plant in spring in well-drained soil or peat-free compost

Choose a sunny, sheltered position

Allow enough space – check the label for the ultimate size

Lightly trim your ceanothus after flowering to maintain its shape

Feed in early spring, with Sulphate of Potash, and mulch around the base

*Plants labelled AGM hold an Award of Garden Merit (AGM) from the RHS