Our Blue Ceanothus

Last winter's severe cold weather seems to have affected this Blue Ceanothus rather badly. Many of last year's shoots looked scorched, as if a forest fire had been licking at them.

But the flowers on the relatively few buds whcih have survived look as pretty as ever. The new green leaves and reddish buds look very happy. I love all these colours. Apparently the limestone-based soils on which we live allows Ceanothus to thrive and produce particularly vivid blue flowers.

I planted this three years ago and I need to learn how best to prune it, as it has become rather straggly. It will have to wait for the flowers to fade.

The focus was somehow hard to get with my 50mm. The flowers and the yellow stamens at the centre of the picture was where I was trying to focus, but I am wondering if I need an eye-test.