A perennial favorite is ready to bloom in Portland: the hellebore! If you recently bought a house, keep an eye out for these low-to-the-ground flowers this month. Popular in Portland as an early spring bloom, you might be lucky to spot a few in your new garden.
The best season for these long-lived plants is when they bloom from February through April with a variety of white, purple and pink hues. Once they have bloomed, the foliage tends to blend into the garden until the following year.
Now’s the time: cut last year’s leaves
For cautious gardeners, I would like to mention that if you do nothing, they will survive, so don’t worry. To give them an extra boost, now is the time to cut off older, mature leaves and encourage new growth: as new flowers appear, cutting off old foliage will encourage new growth, show flowers and help prevent pests and diseases. The plant in the image above shows new growth with old leaves removed.
Second task: look at your roses!
Another early spring task is pruning your roses. I notice that in this Rose City, many homes have a rose (or a dozen) and new homeowners are unsure how to care for them.
When pruning, remove any small stems (smaller in diameter than a pencil). Another rule of thumb is to reduce the height of the plant by 1/3. You want to create a shape like a cup or an upturned hand, so cut off any extra inward-facing sticks. Finally, cut off a corner and look for new leaf buds, ideally facing outward (think “cupped shape”).
Always use clean, sharp pruning shears for both tasks, and for roses it is recommended to wash the pruning shears with soap and water between uses (or between plants) to prevent the spread of disease.
Now’s a good time to get started on these two little garden jobs: they only take a few minutes and provide a winter break outside.
Lita people
Broker | OF & WA
She/her
Lita has a genuine enthusiasm for navigating home buying and selling with the intention of outperforming the market and making the process stress-free and transparent for her clients. “I started in real estate as an independent broker, but during the pandemic I decided to accelerate my experience and build skills faster by serving as a listing specialist for a highly productive, all-female team. Even though there were five of us, we were one of the busiest teams in the city, and over 2.5 years I successfully helped over 60 sellers sell various types of properties throughout the Portland Metro area. From condos and fixer-uppers to bungalows and homes with million-dollar views, I really enjoyed connecting with a diverse offering While this experience was worth it as I had accelerated my experience, deepened my knowledge and sharpened my skills, it felt natural to return to a solo agency in early 2024. I had missed the autonomy and agility that comes with being a solo entrepreneur, as I have been a business owner for most of my working life and I was keen to leverage these qualities to further help my clients. I firmly believe that, whether you are buying or selling a home, you deserve honest and excellent representation. My consistent client feedback highlights my strengths in setting the right expectations, negotiating, timely communication and efficiency – all while being friendly, direct and a dedicated attorney. My goal goes beyond successful sales and purchases, but I strive to earn my clients’ trust, which leads to their recommendations a small business background and a passion for negotiating. She grew up working in her mother’s shops and selling Christmas trees for her father. Lita spent several years as a steel sculptor and public artist in Seattle, and also gained extensive experience as a yoga teacher. When she’s not working, you can find her tending an ever-expanding flower garden, doing home improvement projects, creating art, or hiking in Forest Park or the Gorge.
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