Leggy Hydrangea & Hebe

GardenSpurs

Hello

i am looking for some advice on how and when to prune 2 shrubs.

Firstly, this hydrangea.  It has been somewhat overshadowed by a large shrub, and on cutting the shrub back i found the hydrangea that has faded blooms on long woody stems.  Should i just leave it now until next spring or cut back to the base now. 

The Hebe is just outgrown its position and has become very heavy and is starting to develop a hole in its middle.  Again any advice on how to deal with this would be great.



Many Thanks

hogweed

I would cut the hydrangea right back now - you will probably lose next years flowers but it will be the better of it. It does still seem a bit over shadowed. Perhaps think about moving it somewhere more open come the autumn? 
The hebe could be cut back in the spring - I find they are a bit of a hit or a miss whether they recover or not but as it is not a thing of beauty now, you can take the chance. 

Lyn

I wouldn’t cut the hydrangea back until end of March. 
Then it needs to come out from under those shrubs or it will do the same thing again, struggling to reach the light. 

Guernsey Donkey2

I am fortunate to have two periods of flowering for the Hebe - I always cut it back a few inches after the flowers have finished. I follow Lyn with the pruning of Hydrangeas, early Spring after the majority of the cold weather has passed is when we prune our Hydrangeas.

punkdoc

I don't think that Hydrangea will do well where it is, it is too enveloped by the shrubs around it, that is why it is so leggy.