Tree shown has the silky hairs of M. biloba (M. officinalis biloba), did you wait for the document to open? It takes some seconds for the text to appear but when it does the link opens it right on the pertinent part of what is otherwise a multiple page journal that would have to be gone through. Document also has a key to all the related species in the group. Studying that would show you how to tell them apart. This post was edited by bboy on Fri, Aug 9, 13 at 14:23

Just "google" it. Here is a link that might be useful: Google results for Duranta erecta 'Sapphire Showers'

Clover can have long stems. This one looks very healthy and will out compete your thyme and so I would carefully remove it.

I will try to get some pictures soon, I should be back at the property in a few days, maybe some will be blooming. Sad to say, it's not Cashmere Bouquet (love that name!) I am in Florida, zone 9 where it is "summer" much of the year. It blooms off and on over the summer and into fall. The flowers are what most resemble the hydrangea, since they are in ball-like clusters; but the individual blooms within the clusters are multi-petaled, like tiny roses or camellias. These plants grow like fast-growing annuals, mostly a single stalk with the huge leaves, and as I mentioned they spread very rapidly through their roots, and they are very easy to pull out. Hopefully I can get some pix and someone can help me. It's probably not a hydrangea at all, but I've never seen this plant before anywhere else. The property where I originally found it was an old Victorian home in the city, growing in the midst of azaleas and other common plants to the area.