Rabbits can do a number on the shrubs but they can also be picky, skipping one in favor of another. They can eat your paniculatas and mopheads. Better spray some Liquid Fence to help minimize the possibility of damage. I would normally consider removing winter protection 1-2 weeks after the average date of last frost for your location. But this winter has been very mild so whattodo whattodo whattodo?!?!?

Thanks for your feedback. I'll wait until the weather appears to be settled...maybe mid to late April? for the mopheads anyway, because I really would like them to bloom well asap and stay blooming. It appears that this year is about a month ahead of usual schedule.

A month ahead of schedule, hu? I was thinking about that last week. During the month of May, I notice that the weeds growing on the edges of the highways start browning out and, here was the end of March and I was starting to notice the browning... a month earlier than normal.

Yes, I checked pictures I had taken from previous years and my red tulips and apple tree were blooming on April 28 in 2006. This year they began in the past week.. end of March/beginning of April.