We think we have had major damage to the ancient azaleas in front of our house. Does anyone know--can they recover? I'd send some photos but at this point it would just show big mounds of snow.

From what the arborists told me for my story this week in The Sun, trees and shrubs are remarkably resilient, although they may look pretty ratty for a while. Only spring will tell. -- Susan

My (also) ancient azalea is only visible as the occasional branch tip, sticking out of the snow on the porch side. My current action is to do nothing, since this plant's stems and branches tend to be very, very brittle under the best of circumstances and I worry that attempts to uncover it will lead to damage.

I think you are right, Eve. Just talked to the people at the Paca House in Annapolis and they are worried that any attempt to clear the snow off the boxwoods would only make matters worse. -- Susan

One of our cedar trees in the backyard is completely bent over and buried. We can't do anything for it yet because of how high the drifts are. My initial thought, upon looking out the back door, was "Wait, didn't we used to have two trees out there?"

I have a slit leaf maple I am very fond of that I just notice has many injuries to its branches from the snow, some very major. I am wondering if I can bind these together somehow, possibly with wire or some less cutting material.

I am taking the "wait and see" approach and this past week I saw some shrubs where I work start to right themselves--encouraging! Our rhododendron is now tall and proud, but the azaleas are definitely going to look ratty for some time.

Just getting a peek at my shrub damage....very very bad! --Susan

My azaleas, too, look as though they will survive, although a bit worse for wear. OK, the several times that I've had to chase GrandBoy off/out of the snowbank that hid them - he didn't know there was a bush under there. He could forget the giant bush that keeps eating his ball and then scratches him when he tries to retrieve it?

I am worried, though, about my Dogwood "tree". I got it last spring at the Sunday Farmers' Market Under the JFX when the city was giving away free trees as part of the effort to increase the leaf cover. It was a twig about 3 feet tall and not as big around as my pinkie. I put it in the front yard where I've always wanted a Dogwood and warned the 12-year-old from down the street who sometimes mows for me that it shouldn't be run down. (And then kept a straight face while he humored me that it would, certainly, grow into a "real" tree!) My Dogwood disappeared during the Great Snow and has not reappeared.

Oh man!!!! I hope it isn't gone for good. --Susan