When I Bing there are multiple photos showing the blueness of 'Minmari'; being from a different cross (Ceanothus x pallidus, according to Proven Winners) it is also somewhat different in structure - 'Gloire de Versailles', when pruned and fed to produce full-sized heads has long plumes of powder or grayish-blue. There are also other C. x delileanus that are bluer than 'Gloire de Versailles', perhaps one or two of these is currently on the US market somewhere also. Everett Community College, Everett, WA used to have a planting near a south-facing entry that consisted of one or two Sambucus mexicana (C. caerulea) and several 'Gloire de Versailles'. Presumably somebody put the two shrubs together because of the similarity of the bloomy blue elderberry fruits to the coloring of the ceanothus flowers. As I remember it some years later I noticed that the ceanothus were gone, perhaps having frozen out - we had a 30 year winter around here during 1990 (mildest neighborhoods near Puget Sound ~12F, others colder, with people in the mountains perhaps subzero). Otherwise maybe somebody decided the ceanothus weren't neat enough and took them all out - you have to know how to handle these or they may turn into "brush".

oh i haven't check in for a while and THANK YOU ALL for the answer.you know danielle while your suggestion is simple i haven't even thought about it thank you for pointing that out. cactusmcharris decomposed granite?it does look like pebbles.being is brooklyn has a lot of pros.we could hardly get grit or pumice for what folks on the west coast pay.i will shoot them an email post the answer here when i get it.

I fell in love with ceanothus in France last year. Oh, what envy! Such a gorgeous shrub with stunning blue blooms! I decided to try one and planted it in April. Mine is c. thyrsiflorus 'Victoria' and has so far, survived our crazy drought in April, deluge in May; humidity off and on. If it doesn't make it, I'm out $12. I think I can handle that! Mine came from Lazy S'S Farm in Virginia and arrived beautiful and healthy. Here is a link that might be useful: Garden Inspiration: French Blue

Ditto Jim. I have saw quite a few hemp plants in my lifetime. I grew up in the 60's. That is definitely hemp plants in at least one pic. Maybe they are the kind that has low THC and used for fiber? ;) Oh and by the way, I have saw a lot of them way after the 60's.