Are your shrubs taking over? The Portland area nearly bursts with greenery in May and June as our wet months combine with warmer weather and sunlight.
As relatively static components of our landscaping, shrubs tend to escape notice as they creep larger over the years. When you’re ready to sell, you may need a fresh set of eyes to see that your once reasonable plantings have expanded! Likewise, plants and shrubs growing right up against the siding and windows of the home can promote moss growth and moisture retention, so are best trimmed away from the home.
I found this issue at this home in Beaverton, Oregon. The plantings in front of the house had all matured to the point where they were too big to all occupy the area directly in front of the windows, and adjacent to the front door. This created a crowded and bushy impression, and the large vaulted living room felt dark and enclosed. As much as I love plants, this area needed a refresh!
Bright interiors are key when selling a home in the (sometimes gloomy) Pacific Northwest! These utilitarian plantings were chosen to be low maintenance and green, and require little care since the house had been a rental. Had the plants been specially selected or lovingly cultivated, it may have been a different story. In this case, with the seller’s approval, we removed the largest shrub, pruned and shaped up the others. The interior was flooded with fresh sunlight, and the home was a hit! Inundated with showings all weekend, the sellers received multiple offers and accepted one within 4 days of going on the market. I can’t give full credit to the exterior shrub editing, but it certainly helped to make a great first impression.
