The Board of Directors recently approved the following landscaping rejuvenation. Please read Pacific Landscape Management’s below notice and the attachments in their entirety so you are prepared for some of the landscape changes to come.
REJUVENATION OF SHRUBS
Rejuvenation of plant material will result in healthier shrubs that will grow back in a more natural shape that can be maintained.
Shrubs will be cut to the ground.
As winter approaches, you might notice that deciduous shrubs (those that shed their leaves annually) can look a bit bare and less attractive. To address this and maintain the desired height and health of our landscape shrubs, Pacific has begun cutting them back. This might mean some shrubs are pruned significantly and, in certain cases, cut down to the ground to encourage healthier, more naturally sized growth. While it may initially look like the plants are gone for good, rest assured they will regrow beautifully over the season. This practice varies from annually to every 2-3 years, depending on the type of plant. The most common deciduous plants they will perform this practice annually are Barberry, Abelia, Spirea, and Dogwood shrubs. Every 2-3 years: Willow, Hydrangea, Euonymus, and Forsythia.
Damaged shrubs due to the freezing weather:
The immediate impact of our cold snap in January varied throughout the Northwest. The Portland/Vancouver metro area and Willamette Valley got slammed with snow and Ice while Seattle received a little snow but was very cold. While the snow and Ice had immediate impacts to areas south, the cold weather impacts are beginning to show up throughout western Washington and Oregon.
Most plants utilized on landscapes in Western Washington and Oregon are hardy, but some are marginally hardy, and the wind exacerbated the impacts and damage. As can be seen in the pictures attached, cold and wind damage is beginning to show up on evergreen shrubs. Even the hardiest evergreens can be impacted by the cold with leaf burn. Leaf burns are showing up and will result in some or all leaves to drop going into spring. However, most will re-foliate when they break buds and begin to grow in the spring while some plants may need to be rejuvenated.
Some marginally hardy plants include Escallonia, Viburnum davidii, Viburnum tinus, Abelia, New Zealand
Flax, Otto Lyken Laurel, Wax Privet, Cotoneaster, and Nandina.
Unfortunately, while most plants will survive, spring will be messy, and some shrubs will look bad until they can recover in mid to late spring. For some, the best recovery will be to cut the plants.
Account Manager HOA Pacific Landscape Management
Examples of Plant Rejuvenation