Hebe Plants for Sale: Mixed Evergreen Shrub Collection

What are mixed hebe plants for sale?

These mixed hebe plants for sale include evergreen shrubs with different leaf shapes, foliage colours and summer flowers. Hebes are now classified botanically within Veronica, although the name hebe remains widely used in gardens and nurseries. With several varieties in each pack, you can combine contrasting foliage and flower forms in a single planting.

The leaves stay on the shrubs all year, providing structure and colour even after the flowers fade. Depending on the varieties included, summer flower spikes may be white, pink, purple or blue. Bees and other pollinating insects visit the blooms, making these shrubs a useful addition to a wildlife-friendly garden.

Why choose a mixed hebe collection?

Mixed hebe shrubs bring different leaf textures and flower colours into the same border. Some may grow into rounded, compact bushes, while others develop a looser shape. Planting them together creates the varied heights and foliage textures that suit an informal, cottage-style garden.

The plants can also be grown separately in patio pots, where their different leaves are easy to appreciate. Move containers to a sheltered position during particularly cold weather, especially if the varieties are less frost-tolerant. Their evergreen foliage provides year-round interest, with flower spikes adding colour in summer.

Eventual height, spread and growth rate

Hebes vary in their mature size. Some compact, small-leaved hebes mature at around 40 to 60cm tall and wide, while certain larger-growing varieties can reach 1.2m or more. These are broad guides rather than sizes for every plant in the collection, as mature height and spread depend on the varieties supplied.

Hebes generally grow at a moderate pace, although the amount of new growth varies with the variety, soil and weather. Many can make around 10 to 20cm of growth in a favourable year, but there is no fixed time for every variety to reach its mature size. Light trimming after flowering encourages branching and helps keep the shrubs compact.

Using mixed hebes in your garden

Plant the collection together in a sunny, sheltered border for a varied evergreen display with summer flowers. Leave enough space between each shrub for its natural shape to develop. Place smaller varieties towards the front and allow taller plants room behind them, so the different leaf shapes and summer flowers remain visible.

These hebe shrubs also suit patio containers. Use one plant per pot, or group several pots together for a coordinated look. In cold or exposed gardens, containers let you move more tender plants to a protected spot near a wall or into a cold greenhouse during severe winter weather.

Choosing a size

We supply mixed hebes in two pot sizes and several pack quantities. Choose the four-plant pack in 2 litre pots if you prefer larger, more established shrubs. The smaller 9cm pot plants are available in packs of 4, 6, 12 or 18 and are suitable for growing on before planting into their final positions.

The mix of varieties can change between packs, so individual leaf shapes, foliage colours and flower shades cannot be specified. Choose your pack by pot size and quantity, allowing for the different growing habits of the shrubs supplied.

Which hebe varieties are in the mix?

The varieties in each pack depend on what is available when your plants are selected. The mix may include compact hebes with small leaves alongside broader-leaved shrubs with longer flower spikes. As the selection changes, particular varieties and flower colours cannot be guaranteed.

If a particular flower colour or leaf shape matters, Hebe Red Edge is the named hebe available separately. Choose the mixed collection when you are happy to combine different foliage and flower forms.

When and how to plant hebes

Spring and early summer are good times to plant hebes, giving their roots time to establish before colder weather arrives. Smaller 9cm pot plants can be moved into larger containers and grown on in a sheltered position before planting out. Avoid planting when the ground is frozen or waterlogged.

Before planting, water the pots thoroughly. Dig a hole twice as wide as the rootball and set the plant at the same depth it was in the pot. Backfill with soil and firm gently. In containers, use a loam-based compost with good drainage and make sure the pot has drainage holes.

Spacing for a hebe hedge or group

Mixed hebes are not typically grown as a formal hedge, but you can plant them in a loose, informal row or group. Spacing depends on the eventual size of the varieties you receive. As a general guide, space plants 40 to 60cm apart for a dense, low-growing group.

The table gives approximate plant quantities for informal rows at 50cm between planting positions. Allow more room for larger-growing varieties, as mixed hebes will not all develop the same width.

Watering and feeding

Water regularly during the first growing season to help roots establish. Check the soil moisture by feeling a few centimetres below the surface. In dry spells, give the plants a thorough soak once or twice a week rather than light, frequent watering.

Hebes in containers dry out faster than those in the ground, so check pots daily in hot or windy weather. Make sure excess water drains freely from pots, particularly in winter, when wet compost can lead to root rot.

Feed hebes in spring with a balanced, slow-release fertiliser. An additional light feed may be useful for container plants, but avoid overfeeding, which can encourage soft, leafy growth. Do not feed late in the season, as soft new growth is vulnerable to frost damage.

Trimming and care calendar

Light pruning keeps hebes tidy and encourages bushy growth. Remove faded flower spikes after blooming, cutting back to a healthy pair of leaves. You can also trim back any straggly shoots to maintain a balanced shape.

Avoid cutting into old, bare wood, as many hebes do not regenerate well from hard pruning. Start shaping plants while they are young, rather than waiting until they are overgrown.

In colder gardens, apply mulch around the root area in autumn, keeping it clear of the stems to avoid trapping moisture against them. Container-grown hebes can be moved to a sheltered spot, such as against a house wall, during severe winter weather.