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

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