[nwalch]

I have a Ceanothus at the top of my garden which doesn't work well with a row of dark green conifers behind it, The colours are virtually the same and it gets lost with the backdrop.

Can anyone suggest a replacement. The area is partial shade. Idea height would be 1.5m\5ft

[Goosegirl]

Methinks you need something with a bigger leaf, different coloured and/or shaped leaf and perhaps flowering as well..? Not knowing your preferences, space, soil type and conditions, you could use a dwarf acer with purple or yellowish-green leaves, something from the laurel or aucuba family, climbing plants using the conifers as a frame, pieris, Robinia, hydrangeas, othe smaller and different-coloured conifers...?

[aqua]

kill the conifer hedge - yuk

[nwalch]

kill the conifer hedge - yuk

The conifer hedge provides a great backdrop to the garden (if you put the right plants in front of it) and screens the noise and pollution from the main road. Yes a yew hedge would be better but the cost and time to change it would be prohibitive.

[Goosegirl]

Depending on the type of conifer and how good it looks, I would work with it for the reasons you mentioned. Their roots are normally surface roots so anything you plant will need a good feeding and maybe watering.