Rhododendrons are just reaching full bloom in my neck of the woods, but their exuberance has been very much tempered this year by an assortment of environmental factors. Rhodies, and a number of other species, have rather dramatically died back due to a combination of last year’s drought conditions and the winter’s extended periods of deeply frozen ground. Though they look awful, many plants will likely recover and even push growth on bare branches, so it’s best to hold off until well into June before pruning. “The Great Rhododendron Die-back of ’25” is a good reminder to tend to even your most established shrubs, watering them in dry conditions and mulching well for winter.