On Friday, October 16, 2015 at 4:48:47 AM UTC-7, Brooklyn1 wrote:
On Thu, 15 Oct 2015 21:24:48 -0700 (PDT), Hypatia Nachshon
wrote:

On Wednesday, October 14, 2015 at 6:07:45 PM UTC-7, Amos Nomore wrote:
On 2015-10-14 09:20:54 +0000, Hypatia Nachshon said:

I am a big fan of Hebe, esp. "Wiri Blush". Have them all over the garden.

Here's the weird thing, for example: Three in a bed; two will die and
the other flourish. Has happened several times. They all get the same
conditions. This happens sometimes a year or two after planting.

Can one plant be inherently "feeble" and another not?

Could be. Have you considered propagating the survivors via cuttings?
I hear it is easy with hebes.

You raise a question I've been battling with.

I want to propagate a lovely white azalea that is sprawling all over.
My gardener assures me it can't be done. There are enough low-growing
branches that need pruning anyway, so I'm willing to try. BUT I have
never understood cutting vs twisting. The former is supposed to be a no-no,
but why? I've tried to do research on-line but not fpund answers.

So I'm asking you & other kind NG members for input on cutting vs twisting,
both for the surviving Hebe and for the azalea.

Azaleas are one of the easiest shrubs to propagate by layering.
Don't prune those low growing branches, press a section into the
ground and place a rock over it, in a month roots will grow, then
prune and replant. You need a new gardener, one whose not really a
toilet janitor.
http://azaleachapter.com/plant-info/...ation/layering

Very exciting! Not sure I'll have room where the plant is located right near a concrete path, but it's worth a try.

Now, would someone speak on the "cutting vs twisting" question. Really curious and can't find info.

HB