On Sun, 22 Jun 2003 21:05:18 GMT, "Joseph Meehan"
wrote:

Is it a good idea to cut this thing back to a few inches after it has
had several years without any trimming?

What is the proper method of annual trimming and what is the proper
method to handle an older overgrown plant?

Dogwoods should be left for the most part untrimmed. One exception is
that you can cut off any dead branches and you can prune during the
dormancy period. Dogwood trees are very susceptible to disease. Cuts
and abrasions heal very slowly making them targets for borers.