Plant Picks

Published 4:50 pm Tuesday, December 3, 2013

WHAT: Hebe cupressoides, called Boughton Dome, is a very unusual evergreen shrub, noted for its interesting foliage and bunlike habit.

Small, gray-green leaves cover this tidy, mounding plant, giving the look of a dwarf conifer.

This dwarf hebe, found in Scotland by Valerie Finnis in 1970, was named after Boughton House, in Northamptonshire, UK.

WHY: It works well in a rock garden or wherever cool, gray tones are needed in the sunny parts of the garden.

WHERE: This slow-growing hebe can easily be damaged by more vigorous neighbors, so give it plenty of room and keep fast-growing, floppy plants at a distance.

It combines well with winter-blooming heaths, cyclamen, snowdrops and spring vetchling.

It prefers well-drained or sandy soil with full sun. Once established it needs only occasional watering during dry weather.

Cut out the more-vigorous growth as soon as it appears, or it will spoil the dome shape.

SIZE: Boughton Dome grows to 2 feet high by 3 feet wide.

Source: www.greatplant picks.com