Hebe pruning advice please

I have a large Hebe which hasn’t been pruned much (I know) but I’d like to reduce the height. The patio is a foot or so higher than the ground in which it is planted. It’s just finishing flowering.

What do you experienced gardeners think? Light prune, rule of third prune, go for a big chop???

 

I'd say it depends on your weather forecast They respond well to a hard chop as long as there are no extreme 'events' forecast to damage the new growth. You could use some of the prunings to do cuttings (v. easy) just in case....

 

Thanks @noisette47
I have some cuttings ‘cooking’.

 

A girl after my own heart.....

 

My tuppence worth. I avoid hard pruning, preferring a third at the most. Another third six weeks later gives them time to fully recover some vigour. A hard prune after a period of no prune gets their back up and they either sulk, or die, or both, or live, but why risk it?
This is through experience, could be different for others, but I'm down to twenty seven varieties now...used to have thirty three

 

We have just 2 varieties growing quite close together one always looks glorious the other other I pruned last year went straggly so as it’s next to a windy path towards the Top of the garden we pulled that one out and treated us to a new dark coloured one recently . I’m not touching it just watching it grow !

 

I never hard prune them - they don't like that here, and rarely recover well or even survive.

Always best to do the light trim after flowering to keep them right, but if a proper haircut is needed, the 'removing some branches right back over a few years' method is probably best. How well it responds depends entirely on the variety, the size and most important of all - the climate and conditions you have.
Having said that - if it doesn't survive, it's an opportunitly for something new

 

Well I’ve made a start, and decided to go for a bit of compromise/combination of advice…
I’ve given the main bulk a hair cut/trim (just removing this year’s flowered growth or some down to new growth lower) and the front few branches (not patio side) have been cut down by half. I’ve also removed any dead/bare stems. It’s already revealed more light and air passing through it plus I can see through to other plants and my mini pond from the steps better. I’m going to tidy that area today as I spotted a bit of bindweed and a couple of small Ferns (will pot them up).

 

Edge of pruned Hebe to left and view of my mini pond is a bit clearer from the steps now.