Opening Day.

3-31-08 SHORT HILLS: Today is rainy, but the last several days have been sunny if cool. I have been busy pruning winter kill from the evergreen shrubs and trees and deciduous shrubs when I could tell what was dead. I have also trimmed the foundation plantings and trimmed shrubs and trees on the paths and walkways and cleaned up the patios and the pool area. I siphoned water out of the pool to drop the level to the minimum.

The rhododendrons continue to do poorly. I pruned a lot of dead wood off a stand of old rhodos. It broke my heart to cut them back, but if there is any chance for recovery, they need the room and space for new growth. They never recovered from that drought a few years ago. The shrub population is changing. Rhododendrons, dogwood and laurels are fading while holly, yew, burning bush, barberry and viburnums are thriving with many volunteers, at least in this yard.

Hard to believe baseball has started.