Turning A Shrub Into A Standard Tree 🌳 || It’s Just So Easy! 🌳

My beautiful Standard Hebe has been receiving quite a bit of attention recently! It’s probably more noticeable at this time of year as there’s less garden interest during the Winter months.
It’s an ordinary Hebe shrub (either a ‘Patty’s Purple’ or an ‘Autumn Glory’) and last year I thought I’d see if I could turn it into a standard tree.
Hebe’s are extremely hardy evergreen shrubs which have beautiful blooms (which pollinators adore) lasting from July onwards. I still have a couple of blooms left at the beginning of February!
This particular Hebe is in its third different location in my garden, so that just goes to prove how resilient and tough they are.
All I did was cut away everything leaving one central leader. That single stem was leaning over to one side so i then staked it to straighten it up. Unfortunately I didn’t film myself doing this cutting process but here I have tried to explain how I did it using my Euonymus as an example. It’s just so simple and I’m so delighted I gave it a try.
If you’d like to join my Facebook page, also called The Enthusiastic Gardener, you can find it by clicking this link:
/ the-enthusiastic-garde...
I am also on Instagram @the_enthusiastic_gardener
Have fun in your gardens!
Janette, The Enthusiastic Gardener
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The music In this video Is called “Yogogi Stroll” by Million Eyes and Is Available on Epidemic Sound.
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[@stubbsaquatics6080]

And I bet you were waiting for a trimmed bush comment.... Well.... I think it's going to be a nice tree. It stands on its own... Great job J

[@TheEnthusiasticGardener]

Hey Chris! Yes, I was half expecting one 🤣🤣 hope you’re all good 👍

[@maryvaliquette713]

That is so cute Janette! I love that idea and I’m excited to go ahead and give it a try! Thank you for your inspiration!🌱😍

[@TheEnthusiasticGardener]

Oh thank you Mary, please give it a try … and let me know how it goes 😍

[@laurenwellman2516]

Love this! Great job and can’t wait to see it in bloom. 🥰

[@TheEnthusiasticGardener]

Thank you so much Lauren 😍

[@venicelight1320]

Thank you for your always delightful step-by-step guidance! Janette, you are a truly inspiring teacher! Love seeing all the transformations and evolutions in your beautiful gardens.

[@TheEnthusiasticGardener]

Oh Venice Light thank you very much, that’s such a lovely comment 🥰

[@DebFLGardener]

I had not heard of hebes but see that they should grow here in central Florida; this may be a spring project for me if I can locate one. I am going to talk with the folks at my favorite nursery for their input. Thanks Janette!

[@TheEnthusiasticGardener]

Oh Deb I am so pleased to give you a good idea, and hebes thrive on neglect, there’s not much that can go wrong, and the blooms are so pretty. 😍

[@rbthegardennannyllc4219]

I did a regular hydrangea into a standard. I did not get rid of all the legs and just keep one (too chicken). It looks fine though. I love it Jeanette. Thanks for sharing.

[@TheEnthusiasticGardener]

Oh I bet that looked gorgeous Renee 😍

[@GrannysGarden]

Your Hebe is looking good and strong. The sound of those clippers is music to my ears....... spring is so close. We are having serious problems in Spain at the moment. We haven't had rain for weeks. The garden is really dry. If this keeps up I might have to water some plants by hand. No way am I turning on an irrigation system in February.

[@TheEnthusiasticGardener]

We’ve hardly had rain either and I was about to water everything with the hose, then it rained for a little while on Sunday, but I very nearly went out there and did it. Not long now sunshine … we are nearly there 😍

[@mytale786]

Janette, you keep your videos & tutorials straight and simple. Thanks for giving us advice and inspiration 👏👍

[@TheEnthusiasticGardener]

Hello there Mytale and what a lovely comment, thank you so much 😊 I’m so pleased if I’ve inspired you! That’s made my day 🥰

[@annebeck2208]

I love that you are so brave to try things. It inspires me to try new things in the garden too!

[@TheEnthusiasticGardener]

Oh thank you Anne. Plants are (usually) so tough and survive most of my experiments 😁 and if not, then I always like a gap 🤣🤣😍

[@OCDishChick]

Janette, you make it look so very easy. It’s beautiful! I love it! 👋🏾

[@TheEnthusiasticGardener]

Oh thank you Nikki. My other plants are all in danger now ⛔️🤣😍

[@soulgirlktf]

Janette that's brilliant I love it well done, your hebe standard would make a perfect 'tree' for a fairy garden! We have a holiday place in Wales & I'm going to give it a go this year, a little corner of the garden has a fairy and a door and some flowers it's just a bit of fun but she so needs a Tree now! 🧚 haha thanks x

[@TheEnthusiasticGardener]

Oh now that sounds so magical, what a fabulous idea soulgirl (love your name 😊) x

[@5acorn]

What a great idea, and looks very easy ❤️

[@TheEnthusiasticGardener]

Thank you, I hope you give it a go!! 😍

[@avrilabbott9841]

Hi Janette that hebe is looking good. I think I will try this with one or two of my shrubs. Well done👍

[@TheEnthusiasticGardener]

Hello Avril, oh yes you must give it a go! I think they look so cute 🥰

[@Lou-Owen]

Great idea Janette might try this with a hebe iv got growing in a pot. Have a lovely afternoon 😊. Roll on spring !! x

[@TheEnthusiasticGardener]

Oh I do hope you do give it a try Lou 😍 yes, only a few more weeks 🌷🌷🌷

[@eckmooj1729]

It’s happy Tuesday and another great video Jeanette x

[@TheEnthusiasticGardener]

Oh thank you, that’s very kind!! 😍

[@77sun222]

Hello Janette and Lottie Great idea for the hebe and other evergreens. The standard holly bushes looked gorgeous. And you can get them without prickles. An instant Christmas vibe😀🐾💙

[@TheEnthusiasticGardener]

Hello Sharon and thank you, I love my little hebe tree now and can’t wait to see how it gets on this year 😍

[@peggydove8756]

Hi! Nice to see you again! I love that plant! I'm going to try that with something in my garden this year. I hope it comes out this nice and doesn't look like a bad haircut!😀 Have a great week. You look really pretty today in the black and pretty red vest!

[@TheEnthusiasticGardener]

Hello Peggy and thank you, Richard calls that my Star Trek top 🤣 I do hope you try this, I think they look so cute 🥰

[@elizabethgreco-nieves]

Hi Janette, perfect timing, this past Sunday I decided to trim back two hydrangeas into tree form, I’m still not 100% confident it will turn out but gardening is a learning process 😅. Thanks for the great advice 🙌💚 I love the way yours turned out.

[@TheEnthusiasticGardener]

Hi Elizabeth, I cannot resist doing this to everything 🤣 I love standards, topiaries and lollipops. It’s Linda Vater’s fault 🤣🤣😍

[@forklift86]

Did this to a ceanothus because my sons Jack Russell puppy was eating the lower shoots. So we standardised it in case it made her ill. And 3 yrs later its turned out well.

[@TheEnthusiasticGardener]

Oh i imagine that must look beautiful forklift86! They are blue lilacs I believe? It’s so easy isn’t it, naughty puppy though 🤣 thanks for watching 😍

[@greenmachinesweden]

Nice vid Janette! I hope you inspire a few to try. So easy and fun. 😀👍

[@TheEnthusiasticGardener]

Hi Magnus, you are the king of miniature tree forms. A friend below just gave me another fabulous idea … with my euonymus I could leave 3 stems and braid the together to make an interesting topiary. I’m going to try it!! 😍

[@greenmachinesweden]

@@TheEnthusiasticGardener why not? Good idea, do it!😀👍

[@sandramasson3023]

Been waiting to see how you did it Janette, I’ll be going round the garden looking to see what I can make into a standard ty💙

[@TheEnthusiasticGardener]

Oh you must give it a go Sandra, I think they look so cute 🥰

[@sandramasson3023]

@@TheEnthusiasticGardener oh I will, can’t wait 😊💙

[@lilwilliams7277]

That’s fabulous Janette, looks lovely. Looking forward to seeing it when it’s full of flowers. Glad you didn’t bin it ha ha .

[@TheEnthusiasticGardener]

Hello Lil and thank you, I’m so glad I didn’t bin it too!! 😊😍🤩

[@mjecheverria4197]

I hear the birds singing in the background, are your bulbs peeking through? Spring is just around the corner. Thank you again Janette for your video,have a lovely week.

[@TheEnthusiasticGardener]

Hello there MJ my friend. Yes, the birds are singing and the bulbs are growing … 🌷🌷🌷 not long now 😍

[@penelopehammerton2907]

It's smile Tuesday! I love what you have achieved with the Hebe. The Euonimous l would just raise the canopy. One little stalk might be lonely! Spring is just around the corner and I'm still tidying up for winter! Bulbs are springing up everywhere, it's so exciting 🧑‍🌾🐿️🦋🦉

[@TheEnthusiasticGardener]

Hi Penny, I always call Tuesdays ‘Smile Tuesdays’ now too, and think of you 🥰 I agree, the euonymus would not look spectacular with just one stick. But I have been given a brilliant idea for it, from one of our gardening friends here and I’m going to try it 😊 not long to wait now Penny 😍

[@anateresahalpert1938]

brilliant idea: your garden will be with so much color and texture....we just have to be patient and...dream, dream !

[@TheEnthusiasticGardener]

Hello Ana Teresa and thank you! Yes, we are all dreaming of Spring but it won’t be much longer 🌷🌷🌷happy weekend ❤️

[@purnp5897]

Im getting excited and im onky 2 minutes in.. subscribed.

[@TheEnthusiasticGardener]

Oh wow purnp5897 I’m excited for you! Let me know how it goes. I absolutely loved my little Hebe topiary but it got killed last winter in our week of snow in December. I loved it too! Never mind, that’s gardening for you. Thank you for subscribing - it’s so lovely to have a new gardening friend ♥️

[@itsmewende]

I've heard Hebe but never knew what it looked like, I think I need one of those, or several. I think your Euonymus would look nice with the 3 closest stems braided into a Topiary, or just have 3 of the biggest trimmed into a multi trunk little tree. You're climate sounds like mine, we used to have snow, after about 20 yrs, we've had 2 storms that dumped over 8 inches. I am SSSo looking forward to spring.!

[@TheEnthusiasticGardener]

Oh my goodness Wende, I had never thought I’d braiding 3 together! That would look SO interesting. You have given me a wonderful idea because I don’t particularly care much for that euonymus so I’d have nothing to lose. Thank you 😍

[@itsmewende]

@@TheEnthusiasticGardener …. Happy to help 😊 maybe you’ll end up liking it one day 🤷‍♀️

[@TheEnthusiasticGardener]

I think I will!!!

[@user-ip3ms3fs1x]

Hi, Janette ! I've already trained a rosemary bush to a standard tree .It is small now but I hope it comes out as beautiful as your hebe . Thanks for the helpful video ! Greetings from Greece ! Dimitra

[@TheEnthusiasticGardener]

Oh that sounds lovely Dimitra. And a good idea for a rosemary too! Hope you’re well 😍

[@thegonzalezs4953]

I have never heard of Hebe , I need to look it up if we have them in my area . Little trees looks good !!

[@thegonzalezs4953]

Just looked it up , it says it likes warmer climates. I don’t think it will make it on my zone , I do like the blooms . !

[@TheEnthusiasticGardener]

I think it would be fine, I think they can handle the cold, although you and I have different definitions of “cold” I guess. But they are so hardy and can take loads of neglect too. Worth a try 😍

[@thegonzalezs4953]

@@TheEnthusiasticGardener I will get one 😊

[@pixipatricia4304]

Thanks for this video. I plan to do that to an azalea that I have been propagating for almost a year by ? layering and I have the perfect spot for a standard.

[@TheEnthusiasticGardener]

Hi there, it’s fun to try! Unfortunately I lost my standard hebe a year ago after we had a really harsh cold winter but I’m about to try a topiary from a different shrub this weekend so if it works out well it will be my video for next Tuesday. I can’t wait to try!! 🩷 good luck for yours.

[@juliegriffiths4272]

I really enjoyed watching this, thank you. I've got a bay and I'm going to give this a go.

[@TheEnthusiasticGardener]

Hi there Julie, and I’m sure your Bay will look brilliant as a standard, I have a standard Bay too. Good luck and please let me know how it goes 👍💚🩵🩷

[@juliegriffiths4272]

@@TheEnthusiasticGardener I will, Thank you again.

[@lorrainecourtney4589]

So cute 😁 We are supposed to possibly hit the 60s in the US this weekend 😉 c'mon Spring 😄

[@TheEnthusiasticGardener]

Thank you Lorraine, and I hope you get the 60s, that will be lovely. It was so mild here yesterday, it was wonderful (although I was at work 😫). 😍

[@jameswilmot4537]

Lovely Hebe plant and garden. I've grown cuttings for Hebe, Hydrangea, Buddleia, Spirea & Lavender. Most of these are on my channel header and I made a new Hebe video which shows these cuttings on their journey into big shrubs/plants. Happy Growing :)

[@TheEnthusiasticGardener]

Ooh James I will go over and have a look at your channel! Thank you for telling me about it. 😍

[@AJsGreenThumbLLC]

Oh it's a gorgeous little shrub when in flower Janette. Does it bloom on old or new wood? Sorry if you've mentioned it already...

[@TheEnthusiasticGardener]

Hi AJ, hebes are great because they tolerate neglect and grow best with minimal pruning, my type of plant 😍

[@traceyrose6099]

❤❤ this video thanks bunches, I've learnt so much 💖 sincerely Tracey.

[@TheEnthusiasticGardener]

Aww thanks Tracey, I hope you give it a try!! ♥️

[@debshomegarden8501]

Wow, it is lucky you didn't throw the hebe away! Do I see something new in the middle of your grass? It looks lovely xx

[@TheEnthusiasticGardener]

Hi Debbie, I think you must mean my sundial? But I’ve had that since the summer, I found it on Facebook Marketplace and we gave it a revamp 😍

[@debshomegarden8501]

@@TheEnthusiasticGardener It looks fab xx

[@TheEnthusiasticGardener]

Thank you xxx

[@jasminelouisefarrall]

I’m turning some of my hydrangeas into standards 💕 I hope they look as lovely as yours xx

[@TheEnthusiasticGardener]

Oh thank you Jasmine, I bet they will look fabulous ❤️

[@jasminelouisefarrall]

@@TheEnthusiasticGardener Fingers crossed, I'm off to B&M's to see what I can sniff out :-)

[@TheEnthusiasticGardener]

I love B & Ms - we have a large store in my town, haven’t been in there for a long time!! 😍

[@jasminelouisefarrall]

@@TheEnthusiasticGardener I have just got some Dahlia’s and Peonies

[@TheEnthusiasticGardener]

Fabulous!!!!!

[@eliandkate]

hurrah I've been secretly sending you telepathic messages to show us this :D I want to do this with my limelight hydrangea

[@TheEnthusiasticGardener]

Hello there, this was actually a couple of years ago Eli and sadly I lost it after the winter of 23 so no longer have it, but was gorgeous for a long time and so easy to do! Hope you’re ok and love to you and Kate 🩵

[@eliandkate]

@@TheEnthusiasticGardener oh no 😭 I was thinking when you said how tough they were that hebes don’t always survive winter in our garden. Which is a shame cause I love them

[@TheEnthusiasticGardener]

I meant to say the winter of 22, just realised when re-reading. Well I thought they were tough, now I know they’re not 😂 look forward to seeing you do yours though. I cloud pruned a euonymus shrub recently and am training it into 5 or 6 balls, in a video a few weeks back, you might be interested in that, it’s exactly the same principle 🩵

[@gardeningonthewestforkwith8994]

What is your zone ? Gosh i love your weather . Anyway a hebe that looks lovely the blooms are beautiful and it will be gorgeous as a standard!!

[@TheEnthusiasticGardener]

Hi Teresa, I’m like a US zone 8 I believe. They are so tough though, I really think they could handle colder too 😍

[@gardeningonthewestforkwith8994]

@@TheEnthusiasticGardener zone 8 allows for such variety it looks beautiful!

[@cliffdariff74]

Brit accent.... ive got an OLEANDER, large shrub, need to clip into a tree form 😊

[@TheEnthusiasticGardener]

Hello there Cliff, I’d say yes! Go for it, it will look fabulous! ♥️

[@james3368]

That was interesting, I think 🤔😀🌻

[@TheEnthusiasticGardener]

🤣 James you are hilarious 😂😊

[@james3368]

@@TheEnthusiasticGardener I suppose I am 🤔🌻😂

[@abigailjacob4043]

Oooh, I love this! I've also seen hydrangea trained to a standard form, but it's not an evergreen!

[@TheEnthusiasticGardener]

Oh thank you Abigail. Everything in my garden is in danger of becoming a lollipop 🤣 I’d love a standard hydrangea though, beautiful 😍

[@abigailjacob4043]

@@TheEnthusiasticGardener I'm propagating some hydrangea by cuttings this year -- I'll definitely have to set aside a few to try to train them as standards!!

[@TheEnthusiasticGardener]

Wow Abigail I’ve never tried doing that. You must be a good gardener 😊 I’ll have to look it up and see how to do it. There’s a lovely channel I watch called Tracy’s Home & Garden and she does this, I was watching her in a very recent video all about how she trains hers into standards. I would love those 😍

[@abigailjacob4043]

@@TheEnthusiasticGardener I'm very new at it, but I recommend The Plant Propagators Bible by Miranda Smith. Hydrangeas propagate pretty well from tip cuttings in the summer if you use rooting hormone. I've never trained anything to a standard, though, and you make it look really simple, so I'll be coming back to your video later when my cuttings are tall enough for sure!

[@TheEnthusiasticGardener]

Oh I will look for that Abigail, and I imagine if you are growing from a cutting then you can just cut away all but one good straight stem from the start and then you’ve done the hardest part 😊

[@RoseMary-vs3io]

👌👌✨✨xx

[@TheEnthusiasticGardener]

Hi there Rose Mary and thank you 🥰

[@jodieferguson73]

Hi, how would I go about doing the opposite, making a standard tree into a bush shape?

[@TheEnthusiasticGardener]

Good morning Jodie, I’m not sure you’d be able to do that, because the lower branches haven’t regrown on mine. I think it would depend on what sort of shrub you have, but I don’t think it’s possible. Thanks for watching and have a really great week 💕

[@hithere5768]

I'm buying some bushy photinia red robin hedges in a few weeks, I could turn them into trees?

[@TheEnthusiasticGardener]

Good morning Hi There (love the name 😊). I have a Red Robin as a standard form and it’s looking spectacular right now 😊 and yes I think you could make one of the bush types into more of a tree form, I don’t see why not. I’m guessing you would just take off the lower branches so you’re left with bushy top growth, I think it would look lovely! 🥰