It’s not unusual, especially in a mild winter, to see a few flowers on some types of hebes. Hebe used to be called Veronica and this name is still sometimes applied. Most kinds flower from mid-summer and some continue into autumn, and even into winter, particularly in coastal areas. Hebe is a very varied shrub, some having long, narrow leaves, some with short, relatively broad leaves, and others, called whipcord hebe, with tiny leaves that resemble small conifers.

The ones that flower late in autumn are those with fairly short, broad leaves of oval shape, like the popular variety Autumn Glory which is shown in the photograph. This one can be in flower from July to November and even December, with a diminishing number of dark purple-blue flowers.

The quality of the summer weather also has a big influence on these hebes. Because they flower on current year’s growth, a good growing summer keeps them producing flowering shoots much later than a poor, dull or cool summer, during which they would not grow as much.

Autumn Glory is a relatively small shrub, not much more than one metre tall and wide, making a bushy shrub with branching stems and leafy growth. It is considered to be a hybrid of Hebe speciosa, which is a small bushy shrub, but not all that hardy. It is native to New Zealand and, like many plants from that country, it can be damaged by hard frost. For this reason, it has been crossed with hardier kinds that confer greater toughness, but still have the habit of growing lots of flowers from mid-summer to autumn.

Another of these hybrids is Midsummer Beauty which is taller, reaching about two metres, more upright and not as loose in growth as Autumn Glory. It has pale violet, quite long flowers that fade to white as they age.

Hebe x franciscana is another hybrid that produces some flowers practically year-round, especially during mild spells in winter. This hebe is frequently grown for its resistance to seaside gales. It is extremely resistant to salt, sand and strong winds. It is low-growing, spreading and carries short clusters of blue-purple flowers. There is a variegated version which is just as tough. La Seduisante is a lovely variety, with dark-red flowers that fade as they age. Pink Passion is small, with pink fading flowers. Sunset Boulevard is also small, with short rosy-red flowers.

Hebe x andersonii, Variegata, has somewhat larger leaves with a cream-yellow edge and light violet flowers from summer onwards. It grows to about two metres.

All of the hebe species and varieties are evergreen, so even if they do not flower, they still make a useful contribution to garden decoration in winter.

These are mostly smallish shrubs and they fit in well to a mixed border, lending a bit of bulk in winter when neighbouring perennial flowers have withered away. Hebes really like the coast and do best in gardens not too far from the sea. Inland, they can be damaged to some degree by frost. Lots of plants were killed by the hard frost of a few winters ago. But this only occurs rarely. They like open, sandy soil and full sunshine for most of the flowering and late flowering.

Leaf-spot disease can affect plants if there is not enough air movement, but this rarely occurs near the coast. The bushes can become a bit open and loose and can be pruned back hard in early April. They will sprout new shoots lower down.

Cover spring cabbage

Spring cabbage has done very well this autumn. The young plants have made good growth and will continue to grow in mild spells throughout winter and early spring.

The plants are very attractive to pigeons, which can destroy the crop in a few days, ripping the leaves to the mid-ribs.

This damage does not usually occur until winter, when other sources of food, such as lost grain, have been used up.

If there are any signs of damage the plants should be covered with netting mesh. If the problem has happened in other years, it is likely to happen again. Pigeons are more likely to cause damage in country gardens and in those where there is tree cover nearby.

Other cabbage family crops are likely to need covering too.

Flowers

Plant a few spring bedding plants and even some bulbs, if not already done. If perennial flowers have spread too far and have become overgrown they could be lifted, divided and replanted to keep them under control, taking the opportunity to get rid of weeds at the same time. New kinds can be planted now too.

Fruit & vegetables

The vegetable area can be dug over if the ground is not too wet, or at least have weeds controlled so that they do not go on growing all winter, shedding seeds. Tidy away all old crops that might carry over pests or diseases to the spring. Fruit trees and bushes of all kinds can be planted after good soil preparation.

Trees, shrubs & roses

The planting season for deciduous bare-root trees has begun and these are better value than potted trees. Wait until spring if planting in a windy area because the young plants might be wind-rocked. Small trees can be cheaply planted as whips for shelter belts, simply killing off the grass and planting into the dead sod.

Lawns

Lawn mosskillers can still be applied especially in shady areas – sulphate of iron will blacken the grass for a time. If there is a dry spell, and the ground is not soggy, the opportunity should be taken to mow the grass. Algae and moss on paths can be slippery, but can be cleared by using path cleansers or a bleach solution.

Greenhouse & house plants

Make sure that house plants are away from sources of heat and not close to single-glazed windows at night. They should not be standing in water and should be getting good light. Watering in the greenhouse should be at a minimum and frost protection might be needed for tender plants.