I've never found hebes to be much good after about 2 seasons despite pruning and feeding and nurturing. They sell as perennials and I've tried various kinds in various spots and found they're best treated as biannuals.

I wonder if they've developed too many varieties and put them on the market before they've really tested them? I have a few good ones, a few that definately seem past their best despite pruning and one that rejuvinated beautifully the first time I pruned it and dropped dead the second time I pruned it.

In the case of the shrubs I was asking about, one is fine apart from the shrinking flower phenomenon and the other one is not so good but is in a less than ideal position. In view of your comments I may have to get a little ruthless with some of the others rather than wasting any more time on them. I thought they might bounce back if the drought ever ends but I think you're right, some are just not very good after a couple of years.

Yeah, look, my assessment of hebes is they are a bit disappointing. Ok the first year, maybe ok the second but after that, well, there's probably some that have had more success with them than I but for years now when I see them in the nurseries I simply by-pass them.