i have a ceanothus impressus it is about twelve years oldthi a lot of brown dead leaves and new growth starts green and is also turning brown

These shrubs don't seem to last much longer than this anyway and once they start to have brown sections it's usually the beginning of the end. Probably best to buy a new one and plant it nearby ready for when the other one has to be dug out. Sorry.

Glad you asked this Anngill. Mine has been dying back for a year or two and this winter has done for more than half of it. So thanks, Volunteer, I will prepare myself for the end of mine too!

I have also lost one completely this year.....

One useful ceanothus is one called 'Gloire de Versailles.' The two great advantages with this one are firstly it can be pruned, cutting back to within a bud or two of the previous year's growth. But more importantly, it flowers twice every year with a main flush in early summer and then another one in September

Reading the previous comments. I've think I have lost two Ceanothus . I'm glad I'm not the only one though and it's not something I did wrong. (I'm not that experienced in the garden - more a case of try it and see what happens!!!)