Hebes offer that highly prized combination of being evergreen and yet rarely overwhelming. Their leaves stay on the plant through winter, giving structure and a touch of neatness when many perennials are asleep, but most varieties stay within a sensible 60cm–1.5m range. This makes them ideal for front gardens, small borders and drives where you don’t want big shrubs taking over. Variegated and coloured foliage types are particularly good at brightening dull corners and providing contrast with plainer greens.
Common name: Shrubby Veronica
Latin name: Hebe and garden cultivars
Size in UK gardens: Most varieties reach around 60cm–1.5m tall and wide in time, with dwarf forms smaller and taller types a little larger.
Best position: A sunny or lightly shaded, reasonably sheltered spot, ideally out of the very coldest winds so foliage and flowers stay neat.
Soil: Moist but free‑draining garden soil, preferably reasonably fertile; dislikes heavy, waterlogged clay or very dry, stony ground with no added organic matter.
Flowering time: Usually summer into early autumn, with many varieties giving a long season of neat flower spikes above evergreen foliage.
Fragrance: Flowers are usually only lightly scented close up; Hebe is grown mainly for colour, shape and all‑year foliage.
Hardiness: Generally hardy in much of the UK, including many Cambridgeshire and East Anglian gardens, though some forms may suffer in severe or very exposed winters.
Care level: Low to moderate; easy once established, needing regular watering in dry spells and light pruning to keep it compact and flowering well.
The Simpson’s team raises the majority of our trees here at the nursery. For varieties outside our own production, we work with independent local growers we trust - all chosen for UK climate suitability.
Planting time: As container‑grown shrubs, Hebes can be planted in most months when the soil isn’t frozen or waterlogged, with spring and autumn usually the easiest times for them to establish.
Watering: Water regularly in the first growing season, especially in dry weather and on sandy soils. Once established in the ground, they usually only need extra watering during prolonged dry spells.
Feeding: A light mulch of garden compost in spring helps keep the soil in good condition. On poorer soils or in pots, a modest application of balanced fertiliser in spring will support strong, flowering growth.
Pruning: Lightly trim after the main flush of flowers to remove spent spikes and keep plants bushy. Older, leggy specimens can be gently thinned, but avoid cutting hard into very old wood if possible.
Winter: Most Hebes are hardy enough for normal winters in sheltered spots, though some foliage may scorch in severe cold. A mulch around the base and a little extra shelter for container plants can help them through harder winters.
Availability is always changing, so please check with us if you have a particular variety in mind.
Deep, moody foliage gives this hebe real presence, creating contrast that makes neighbouring plants look brighter and more deliberate. It’s superb in contemporary schemes and pots, where the dark tones feel polished and dramatic, while the tidy evergreen habit keeps it looking smart year-round.
Low, spreading and satisfyingly neat, this hugs the ground to form a compact evergreen cushion. It’s ideal for edging, gravel gardens and softening the front of borders, giving year-round structure with a calm, natural feel—particularly effective when planted in small drifts rather than singly.
A hebe chosen for impact—whether through brighter foliage, stronger colour, or an especially showy flowering display. It’s perfect as a focal point in a pot or near the front of a border, where it adds that “something special” without losing the neat, evergreen discipline hebes do so well.
A hebe that brings a gentle brightness to planting, like a soft splash of colour that keeps borders looking awake even between flowering peaks. It’s excellent in pots and front borders, pairing beautifully with darker evergreens where its lighter tones feel crisp and uplifting.
Compact, floriferous and reliably tidy, this produces cool blue flowers that sit beautifully with silvers and ornamental grasses. It’s ideal for pots and border edges, and it works particularly well repeated through a scheme to create a calm rhythm of evergreen structure and seasonal colour.
A lovely choice when you want deeper, richer colour in a compact, well-mannered shrub. The purple flowers add a more saturated note to summer planting, while the evergreen habit stays neat and useful. Perfect for containers and the front of sunny borders in small groups.
Crisp white flowers bring a clean, fresh lift, and the plant keeps that compact, evergreen form that makes it so easy to use. It’s perfect in pots, along paths, and at the front of borders where it softens stronger colours and keeps planting looking structured year-round.
A tidy, compact hebe with bright white flowers that look especially fresh against the evergreen foliage. It’s ideal for repeating through a border to create a calm, cohesive look, and it works beautifully in pots where the neat habit keeps displays looking well-kept long after flowering.
A bright, golden-leaved hebe that acts like a little lantern in the border, giving colour even when flowers aren’t the focus. It’s excellent for pots and front planting, and it pairs beautifully with darker shrubs where the golden tones look deliberate and polished, especially through winter.
A tough, garden-ready hebe with a slightly rugged, coastal feel—perfect for breezier sites where you still want tidy evergreen structure. It’s excellent as low framework in borders and pots, and it looks best planted in small groups so its shape and texture feel generous rather than dotted.
Neat, rounded and wonderfully dependable, forming a tidy green ball that looks as if it’s been gently shaped into place. Perfect for adding structure to borders, gravel planting and pots, where those rounded forms create a calm, designed feel. It’s especially effective used in repetition.
A compact, well-mannered hebe that’s easy to place and always looks presentable. Ideal for pots and front borders, it provides reliable evergreen structure with a rewarding flowering display in season. It’s a great “stitching” plant for tying mixed planting together neatly.
A bright, lively hebe that brings a sharper lift to planting, often through vivid foliage tones that really stand out. It’s perfect as a pot feature or a contrast plant near the front of borders, where it adds energy and clarity while still keeping that tidy, evergreen hebe discipline.
