What a good sport!
Q
Can you help identify this tall shrub? It’s evergreen with glorious lavender-coloured flowers between April and May, which the birds love. Joanne Bell (via email)
A
The attached image shows clearly probably the best specimen I have seen of Ceanothus ‘Pershore Zanzibar’. A ‘sport’ (mutation) discovered at Pershore College, Worcestershire, in 1982, its blotched yellowish and deep-green leaves complement blue spring flowers.
I suggest that you consider planting Clematis ‘Polish Spirit’ (see above left) to cascade over it. Bearing reddish-purple to bluish-purple flowers from July to October, it would make your ceanothus a commanding feature.