Hebe Society

Gardening With Hebes, Chris and Valerie Wheeler, Guild of Master Craftsman, UK, 2002, ISBN 1-86108-291-6. 150 pages, 11 × 8 in, illustrated with 154 excellent colour photographs, 10 colour drawings, 14 line drawings. All aspects of gardening with hebes are covered, both in text and pictures. There are planting schemes for hebes in beds and containers, also suggestions for hebes as ground cover, hedges or for use in topiary. Finally a hundred hebes are described; many of these are illustrated. An ideal introduction to this fascinating genus. This book is now available on-line from The Wisley Bookshop. To order: phone 01483 211320, fax 01483 212447, post RHS Enterprises, RHS Garden Wisley, Woking, Surrey, GU23 6QB.

Hebes and Parahebes, Douglas Chalk, Christopher Helm, UK, 1988, ISBN 0-7470-0410-2 (also published in New Zealand, 0-908563-21-3, and USA, ISBN 0-88192-124-6). 152 pages, 9 × 6 in, illustrated with 33 line drawings, 8 colour plates (60 hebes, 1 parahebe). This was the first book on hebes and parahebes, and was written by our former Chairman. The plant descriptions are listed alphabetically, and there is a paragraph on each. This book is now out of print.

Hebes Here and There, Graham Hutchins and Patricia Davies, privately published by Hutchins and Davies, United Kingdom, 1997, ISBN 0-9530940-0-6. 320 pages, 9.5 × 6.5 in, illustrated with 6 colour photographs on cover, and many excellent line drawings of hebes. Written by a Vice President of the Hebe Society, who devotes between half a page and a page to most hebes. The species and their close allies are grouped in sections, so that closely related hebes are near one another. The hybrids are arranged in alphabetical order. This book is now available from This book may be available on-line from The Wisley Bookshop. To order: phone 01483 211320, fax 01483 212447, post RHS Enterprises, RHS Garden Wisley, Woking, Surrey, GU23 6QB.

International Register of Hebe Cultivars, L J Metcalf, Royal New Zealand Institute of Horticulture, New Zealand, 2001, ISBN 0-9597756-4-1. 232 pages, 8 × 5.5 in, illustrated with 17 colour photographs, 4 b/w photographs or diagrams. Written by a Vice President of the Hebe Society. About a thousand hebes are covered in various levels of detail. The most recent references seem to be 1997. There are also sections on Hebe as a garden plant, and on its origins and evolution. This book may be available from The Wisley Bookshop. To order: phone 01483 211320, fax 212447, post RHS Enterprises, RHS Garden Wisley, Woking, Surrey, GU23 6QB.

Hebes, A Guide to Species, Hybrids and Allied Genera, Lawrie Metcalf, Timber Press, ISBN 0-88192-773-2, 308 pages, 9 × 7 in, illustrated with 133 colour photographs, 17 b&w drawings. Written by a Vice President of the Hebe Society. The genus Hebe is a treasure trove of more than 100 species and subspecies of medium sized to dwarf evergreen shrubs with outstanding ornamental features. This book provides a wealth of information about the native habitats, preferred growing conditions, cultivation and an A–Z guide to all known species and most horticulturally valuable hybrids. Available from The Wisley Bookshop, Amazon or Touchwood Books.

An Illustrated Guide to New Zealand Hebes, Bayly and Kellow, Te Papa Press, New Zealand, 2005, ISBN 0-909010-12-9, 350 pages, 11 × 8 in, illustrated with 100 full-page colour plates and distribution maps, hardcover. A complete guide to hebe species growing in the wild.

For each species, the book has two pages of detailed information, photographs, and distribution maps. General chapters discuss evolution, reproductive biology, conservation, and other topics.
Available from Te Papa or Touchwood Books.

Cultivation of New Zealand Plants, Lawrie Metcalf, Godwit, New Zealand, 1993, 0-908877-23-4. 260 pages, 10 × 7 in, illustrated with 100 line drawings, 200 colour photographs. Information on the identification and cultivation of over 360 species of New Zealand plants is given. The illustrations are of a very high standard. This is a companion volume to Lawrie’s ‘The Cultivation of New Zealand Trees and Shrubs’.

Field Guide to Wild Plants of Mount Cook National Park , Hugh D Wilson, Field Guide Publications, New Zealand, 1978. 294 pages, 7.5 × 4.5 in, illustrated with 544 line drawings. This well illustrated book is useful throughout the South Island. It covers both native and introduced plants. There is a more recent edition.

Flora of New Zealand, Volume 1, H H Allan, R E Owen, New Zealand, 1961. 1149 pages, 8 × 5 in, illustrated with 48 line drawings. This volume covers all native ferns, conifers and dicotyledons. The description of each plant is highly detailed, and quite technical. This book, together with Volume 2 for monocotyledons, has been the gold standard of New Zealand botany for the last forty years.

Forest Vines to Snow Tussocks, John Dawson, Victoria University Press, New Zealand, 1988, ISBN 0-86473-047-0. 264 pages, 9 × 7 in, illustrated with 124 b/w photographs and 2 colour photographs. A readily accessible and recent guide to the many plant communities of New Zealand and Subantarctic Islands.

Gardener’s Encyclopaedia of New Zealand Native Plants, Yvonne Cave and Valda Paddison, a Godwit book published by Random House, New Zealand, 1999, ISBN 1-86962-043-7. 320 pages, 11 × 8 in, illustrated with over 1000 photographs. The photographs and text are separate; the text is arranged by habitat (trees shrubs and climbers, herbaceous plants, ferns - the first two categories are further divided by size). The text is arranged alphabetically. This book is an armchair exploration of New Zealand native plants and their cultivars. You will soon find yourself booking a flight to New Zealand!

New Zealand Alpine Plants, A F Mark and Nancy Adams, A H and A W Reed, New Zealand, 1973, ISBN 0-589-01063-8. 265 pages, 8 × 8.5 in, illustrated with many fine colour drawings. Each plant is described, along with information on its distribution and habit. This book is regarded by many as the definitive book on New Zealand alpines; it has been recently revised.

New Zealand Coast and Mountain Plants, John Dawson and Rob Lucas, Victoria University Press, New Zealand, 1996, ISBN 0-86473-310-0. 176 page, 10 × 7 in, illustrated with 180 colour photographs, which vary in size between a quarter page and two pages. A very readable introduction to both native and introduced plants, on both the main islands and the Subantarctic Islands. The many photographs are of great beauty.

New Zealand Trees and Shrubs, L J Metcalf, Reed Methuen, New Zealand, revised edition 2000, ISBN 0-7900-0662-6. 408 pages, 10 × 7 in, illustrated with line drawing, b/w photographs and colour photographs. The book has information on the identification and cultivation of over 600 species of New Zealand plants.