Hebe 'Raspberry Ripple'

• Remove faded flowers to encourage more.

Planting Advise

• Dig a planting hole 3 x wider than the roots of the shrub you're planting and mix some well-rotted compost or manure with the soil from the hole and use this to re-fill one the shrub is in place.
• We've found that a square hole is better than a round one as the new roots, once they reach the edges tend to grow in a circle round the circumference of the hole whereas when they reach the corners of a square hole, they find it easier to grow through.
• Before planting soak container-grown shrubs thoroughly and allow to drain.
• Remove the plant from its pot and tease out a few of the roots.
• Add Mycorrhizal fungi to the roots when planting to help plants establish quicker.
• Place your shrub in the hole at the same level at the pot then refill the hole with the earth removed (backfilling).
• Firm in the soil with your heel, avoiding the root ball then water well.
• Mulch around the base of the plant with a collar, compost, gravel, bark etc.
• If you’re planting into pots, place some old rocks, stones or gravel in the bottom of the pot for drainage and ballast.
• Use the best compost you can buy and some sand or grit for drainage.

Pruning

• Prune immediately after flowering for a second flush of flowers later in the season.
• Remove damaged or crowded stems.
• Renovate plants by cutting back by half in spring.
• After pruning, apply a generous layer of well-rotted compost to the base of the plant.