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.
A small-leaved, naturally tidy hebe with a fresh, clean look and a neat, compact habit that suits edging and low structure planting. It’s excellent in sunny, free-draining borders and gravel gardens, and it works beautifully as a calm “framework” shrub repeated through a scheme.
A miniature version of Hebe odora, forming a compact evergreen mound that’s made for pots, rockeries and the very front of borders. It keeps its shape with very little fuss, giving a crisp, well-kept finish all year. Ideal used in repeats to create a neat, cohesive line.
A smart, well-mannered hebe that brings dependable evergreen structure with a pleasing seasonal display. It’s ideal for pots and front borders, where it stays tidy and composed, and it’s especially effective planted in small groups so the overall effect feels generous and well put together.
A bright, variegated hebe that lifts a planting scheme through foliage alone, bringing light even when flowers aren’t the main event. It’s perfect near paths and patios, and it looks particularly good set against darker evergreens where those creamy tones feel crisp and deliberate.
A garden-friendly hebe with a tidy evergreen habit and a slightly more natural, coastal character. It’s excellent in sunny borders and gravel planting, where its clean texture works well with grasses and other low shrubs. Plant in small groups and it gives a relaxed, generous feel.
Compact, neat and easy to place, this is a hebe that quietly keeps borders looking finished. It’s perfect for pots and the front of beds where you want low evergreen structure without bulk, with flowers adding a gentle seasonal highlight. Particularly effective repeated for rhythm and cohesion.
Cool, pastel-toned flowers bring a soft, calming note that sits beautifully with silvers, whites and ornamental grasses. It’s ideal for pots and front borders where the colour can be appreciated up close, and the tidy evergreen habit keeps it looking smart long after the flowering peak has passed.
Fine-textured and naturally neat, with small leaves that give a lighter, more refined look than broader-leaved hebes. It’s excellent for edging and low framework planting in sunny, free-draining borders, and it works particularly well in gravel gardens where that tidy habit feels deliberate and crisp.
Bright pink flowers give a cheerful, friendly lift, while the plant stays compact and evergreen—perfect for pots and border edges. It’s lovely near paths where colour can be enjoyed up close, and it works brilliantly repeated through a bed to create a tidy rhythm of structure and seasonal colour.
A soft, romantic pink-flowering hebe that brings a gentle glow to borders and containers. It’s perfect near the front of a bed where the colour can be appreciated, and it pairs beautifully with pale grasses, silvers and whites for an airy, summery look. The evergreen habit keeps it useful year-round.
A pretty, poised hebe with a neat, well-dressed habit—excellent in pots by steps and patios where it always looks presentable. Pink flowers add a sweet seasonal flourish, while the evergreen structure keeps displays looking tidy between flowering peaks. It’s particularly effective used as a repeating accent.
A lively pink-flowering hebe that adds sparkle to the front of borders and container displays, while keeping that tidy evergreen habit. It’s ideal for small gardens where structure matters, and it works beautifully planted in small drifts so the colour reads as a generous splash rather than scattered dots.
A compact hebe with a playful, decorative feel—tidy, evergreen and easy to place in pots and small borders. It keeps a neat outline through the year, bringing dependable structure, while the flowering season adds a cheerful highlight that feels light and fresh rather than overpowering.
Low, spreading and wonderfully useful, forming a neat evergreen mat that softens edges and knits planting together. It’s ideal for banks, gravel gardens and the front of borders, and it looks particularly good spilling slightly over stones or walls. A great “finishing” plant that stays tidy year-round.
Low, compact and satisfyingly tidy, this forms a neat mound that looks as if it’s been gently shaped into place. The flowers add a cool purple note, making it ideal for edging, gravel planting and pots where you want year-round structure and a calm, contemporary feel.
A compact hebe with rich purple flowers that bring a deeper, more luxurious note to summer planting. It’s perfect for pots and the front of borders, where the colour can be enjoyed up close, and the neat evergreen habit keeps everything looking smart and well kept between flowering peaks.
Confident and colourful, with purple flowers that give a stronger, more saturated splash without losing that tidy, evergreen discipline. It’s excellent as a repeat plant through a border to create rhythm, and it looks particularly striking paired with silvers and fresh greens for crisp contrast.
A characterful hebe with a bold, jewel-toned feel, bringing richer colour and a slightly more dramatic presence to pots and borders. It’s ideal near the front where the foliage and flowers can be appreciated, and it sits beautifully with pale greens and grasses for a modern, designed look.
