Echium

Those spires are beautiful blue too

Wonderful specimen....

Looks like Echium cadicans, my plant in the greenhouse is just in bud, I also tried one outside due to lack of space but I picked the wrong winter for this :-(

Sixpence, Dottydaisy2:

Thanks! :>)

Plathoholic:

This one is most likely Echium cadicans, however, this garden has several species (many are from the Canary Islands).

Im envious, i've had a bad winter,, my 3 vars. of E.pininana have all died and all I have left is a E.candicans (misspelt by me above) and a E.wildprettii in the greenhouse.

Plantoholic:

Sorry to hear about your E. pininana! :>(

Don't be envious...these shrubs grow like weeds here...and many species have naturalized. In some areas of California they can be difficult to eradicate.