Hebe Elegance Purple

Hebe 'Elegance Purple' (Hebe 'Elegance Purple') is a compact evergreen shrub for the front of a border, reaching about 90cm tall and 80cm wide. Neat glossy foliage carries short purple flower spikes from spring through summer, and the plant holds a rounded shape without being clipped into one. It earns its place in southern gardens where wind and salt defeat most flowering shrubs.

Why you'll love it

• It keeps its shape on its own. The naturally rounded habit means a row reads as a low formal border without any shearing.
• Purple flowers over a long season. Short dense spikes appear from spring into summer, with a lighter second showing later if conditions suit.
• Coastal and wind tolerant. Salt spray and exposure do not mark the foliage, which is why hebes turn up on so many southern beachside blocks.
• Bees and butterflies find it quickly. The flower spikes are worked steadily through the warmer months.

Where it works best

Borders and low hedging. Plant 60cm apart for a continuous low border. At that spacing the plants meet in two seasons and stay furnished to the ground rather than opening at the base.

Small gardens and mass planting. An 80cm spread suits a narrow bed, a courtyard or a repeated drift along a path where a larger shrub would crowd the space.

Pots and coastal gardens. A 400mm pot holds one comfortably for years, and the salt tolerance makes it a good candidate for an exposed balcony or a seaside front garden.

Growing Hebe 'Elegance Purple' in Australia

Position and climate. This is the part that decides whether the plant is for you. It belongs in cool temperate, warm temperate and Mediterranean gardens: Victoria, the tablelands, temperate South Australia and the south of Western Australia. It resents hot humid summers and tends to be short lived in subtropical gardens. Full sun to light shade.

Soil. Free draining is the priority. Hebes dislike wet feet more than almost anything, so on clay plant on a raised mound with compost and coarse grit worked through, and mulch 50mm deep clear of the stems.

Water and feed. Water twice weekly through the first summer, then weekly in dry spells. It is not drought proof, so do not treat it like a native. A light feed of complete slow release fertiliser in early spring is enough.

Pruning. Trim lightly straight after the main flowering to keep the shape tight and encourage a second flush. Avoid cutting back into bare old wood, because hebes are reluctant to reshoot from it.

What to expect when it arrives

It is sold as tube stock, so expect a young plant of a few branches rather than a flowering shrub. That is the normal way to buy hebes for a border: they establish fast, and a run of twenty tubes costs a fraction of larger stock.

Plant tubes into prepared soil promptly and keep the water up through the first summer. Expect a low border to close by the second season, with a proper display from the first spring after planting. Delivered Australia wide, delivery from $29.95, minimum order of $300 before delivery. Every plant is covered by our 30 day healthy plant guarantee.

Plant care guides and related reading

• Compare other low maintenance shrubs for the front of a bed.
• Read our guide to choosing edging plants.
• Browse more plants for cool climates.
• See other bee and butterfly plants to pair with it.

Common questions

How far apart should I plant it for a border?

Sixty centimetres apart gives a continuous low border within two seasons. For individual plants that keep their own outline, allow a metre.

Will it grow in a subtropical garden?

Unlikely to thrive. Hebes resent hot humid summers and tend to be short lived in the warm north, so choose something suited to your climate instead.

Why has my hebe gone bare in the middle?

Usually a hard prune into old wood, or too much shade. Trim lightly after flowering rather than cutting back into bare stems, and give it full sun to light shade.