Hebe Marie Antoinette

Hebe 'Marie Antoinette' (Hebe hybrid 'Marie Antoinette') is a compact evergreen shrub that makes a rounded 1m dome without any clipping, and covers itself in soft pink and white flower spikes over a long season. It is one of the few flowering shrubs that holds its looks on a windy, salt exposed block, which is why it turns up so often in coastal front gardens.

Why you'll love it

• A tidy shape you do not have to make. It grows naturally to about 1m tall and 1m wide, so a light trim is all the shaping it needs.
• Long flowering for bees. Pink buds open to white spikes above the foliage, and they are worked hard by bees and butterflies.
• Coastal and wind tolerant. Salt spray and steady wind do not burn it, unusual in a shrub that flowers this freely.
• Frost hardy for southern gardens. It is at home in cool temperate, warm temperate and Mediterranean climates, so cold winters are no obstacle.

Where it works best

Borders and edging. Plant 60cm apart for a low massed border that reads as one continuous band rather than a row of separate bushes.

Mass planting. At the same 60cm spacing it covers a bank or a wide front bed with even, low, flowering cover and very little upkeep.

Pots and small gardens. A 400mm pot suits one plant. The scale is right for a courtyard, a townhouse strip or either side of an entry path.

Growing hebe in Australia

Position and climate. Full sun gives the heaviest flowering and the tightest habit. It belongs in cool temperate, warm temperate and Mediterranean gardens. Humid tropical and subtropical summers are its real limit, where hebes tend to open up and struggle.

Soil. Free draining soil matters more than fertility. Hebes will not sit in wet ground over winter, so raise the bed on clay and work through compost and coarse sand.

Water and feed. This is a moderate water plant rather than a dry garden one. Water twice weekly through the first summer, then keep it evenly moist in hot spells. A light complete fertiliser in early spring is enough.

Pruning. Trim lightly after each flush of flower to keep it dense. Do not cut back into bare old wood, because hebes are slow and unreliable at reshooting from it.

What to expect when it arrives

It comes in three sizes: tube stock, 140mm in packs of ten, and 200mm in packs of six. Tubes and 140mm plants are young and single stemmed, and they are the sensible choice for a long border because they establish quickly and cost far less per plant. The 200mm pots are already bushy and give a border that reads finished in one season.

Plants travel upright and settle fast. Expect a fortnight of little change after planting, then new growth within about six weeks in the warmer months. Delivered Australia wide, with delivery from $29.95 and a minimum order of $300 before delivery. Every plant carries our 30 day healthy plant guarantee.

Plant care guides and related reading

• Browse the wider range of evergreen shrubs for borders and beds.
• Read the best plants for coastal gardeners before planting near the sea.
• Compare other salt tolerant plants for exposed sites.
• More low growing options in our guide to edging plants.

Common questions

How far apart should I plant it?

Space plants 60cm apart for a massed border. At that spacing the domes just touch at maturity without shading each other out at the base.

Will it grow in a humid subtropical garden?

It is not the right choice. Hebes are built for cool temperate, warm temperate and Mediterranean climates, and humid summers leave them open and short lived.

Can I grow it in a pot?

Yes, and it suits one well at 1m. Use a 400mm pot with free draining mix and water more often than you would in the ground, since hebes dislike drying out completely.