Question
We planted a number of princess spirea bushes last year.  However, some of them seem to have only  twigs  and very little foliage on them.  We had a very mild winter with minimal snow and virtually no ice, so I doubt that that is the problem.    Should we have trimmed the bushes down almost to the ground last fall?      Any advice would be greatly appreciated.    Thank you1

Answer
Judy,
It sounds like some of the plants went into transplant shock before they had a chance to fully establish themselves.
I would recommend trying to bring these plants back with a shot of fertilizer this spring.
Make sure they remain well watered and mulch the beds if they aren't mulched already.
Good luck.
Ed Gulliksen