Hebe Help Needed

This is the Hebe that came with the garden. I don't recall it being here when I viewed the house in May 2024. As you can see it's not looking too healthy. I have already tried to help it by removing some of the old compost ( couldn't get it all out ) and replacing with soil / new compost mix. It hasn't really achieved much. Any suggestions, please ?

 

So what is wrong with it, it looks OK to me.

 

The leaves are brown around the edges, getting worse, and it's only got 2 flowers and 3 others still forming. It did have 2 flowers when I moved in, not the same ones as pictured. I had a Hebe on Anglesey and it didn't have brown leaves. I've been keeping an eye on it's hydration. It was very dry when I removed the old compost, which was so old it crumbled to dust.

 

Well I think you need to wait until the new growing season starts.
Its just gone through winter, I'd say you are fairly lucky that it has a couple of flowers still on it at this time of year.

 

Hebes flower properly from late Summer to Autumn, so having a couple of flowers now is just a little unexpected gift.

Regarding the edges of the leaves, it might be down to watering or a bit of frost damage.

How big is its pot?

This looks looks very similar to a Hebe Andersonii that I have. Mine was getting pot bound and I moved it to a bigger pot a few months ago. It's loving life now, and I don't need to water as frequently as before.

 

I've found that the hebes with the yellow variegation seem to be less hardy than some. I wouldn't really be expecting it to be in flower in March in any case (unless you're in a warmer part of the world? Your profile says Anglesey?)

 

I wasn't sure if it's a spring or summer flowering variety. Or how old it is ( think they are relatively short lived ). I'll be patient then

 

It looks similar to the Hebes I've seen on Anglesey that flower in Spring. They are everywhere and very pretty. I did wonder about possible frost damage, but don't know what weather was like before January. No hard frosts since then, but a couple of big storms.

As far as I know house was empty for several months before I moved in and as grass was very long I'm assuming no maintenance done on garden.It was very dry when I removed old compost. It's in a wooden planter about 3ft tall, feels like bottom half filled with stones ( ballast ).

 

I dont think they are particularly short lived, did you remove a lot of the soil around the roots as I dont think it would like too much root disturbance.
I think they dont like hard pruning in general so maybe avoid doing anything other than removing damaged shoots if they start to look bad.

Yes just give it some time.

 

It looks very good to me, having just come through winter. Mine is tattier.

 

There are spring flowering Hebes on Anglesey. It's quite a mild climate and most winters don't get really cold. Snow is rare and frosts are usually in April ( it varies of course, just an average ). I need to update profile as now in Northern Ireland.

 

Watched YouTube video saying 10 year lifespan ?. I couldn't get right down to the roots due to confined working space, just took out what I could reach.

 

Life span of plants is very variable I dont really see how anyone can make a definite statement.
They are like people in that respect.

you can take cuttings which root fairly easily but better to wait until summer.

 

Hi

considering it’s March and it’s come out the winter looking great the variegated hebe is more tender and constant minus 5 would either kill it or struggling to grow that year

give a feed end of march will cheer it up , then are shallow rooting so don’t go crazy removing to much compost

Spruce