crom wrote in news:k5v060l3po2kj8u5geo3vvcjv8qpv0bp02@
4ax.com:

There is a hebe that has got very woody and patchy but still has new,
healthy shoots appearing now about 2 feet off the ground. The
gardening book we have says 'gentle clipping in March'. But is it
possible to cut is back hard and encourage growth from the woody
stems?

Some hebes are very intolerant of cutting back to woody growth, even if you
leave some leafy bits at the bottom. I killed a big one this way. :-(
Still, it was very leggy, and now I can see the lilies.

The same question about the honeysuckle really. This too has plenty of
twisted, woody stems - very thick in places - and no foliage until you
get to about 4-5 feet from the ground.

Yes this you can chop right back to a bare framework, it will be all the
better for it, and will be much less prone to greenfly and flower better if
well pruned from time to time.

Note though that honeysuckle is one of those things that climbs up to the
light then spreads out, so if the bottom is shady, it may always have a
tendency to go leaping up towards the light.

Victoria
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gardening on a north-facing hill
in South-East Cornwall
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