It's a Ceanothus, or Californian Lilac. They are stunning in spring but not always hardy in very low temperatures. You can get small and large shrubs with pale or dark blue flowers. I love them.

that's superb Arbuthnot, thanks for the info, i will getting some cuttings of it later in the season and giving it a go, it looked stunning as i walked towards it, the photos don't do it justice, the blue is such a deep blue almost dazzling, i can see why you love them, it really made my day yesterday , I'm always on the look out for different plants and bushes near me,
Thanks again my friend

I've never grown it from a cutting but I think it might take quite a while for it to reach any reasonable size. You might be better off buying a shrub from a nursery.

Hi, the usual method of propagation is either from seed, either in a seed bed, or in containers in an open cold frame, or from greenwood cuttings of deciduous species, or semi ripe cuttings of evergreen species, in mid to late summer, obviously cuttings will produce a larger plant earlier, but if there are several cultivars in the same location, they hybridise very easily, so from seed may produce something different, either for the good, or bad, Derek.

thanks for all your advice. i was planning to get some cuttings and give them a go, i seem to be quite successful with cuttings, and its so beautiful i just gotta have one , anyway thanks all, i will have a go at anything that grows, here is hoping

steve