Hi - I'm new to gardening in Toronto and have some neglected shrubs in the backyard - 4 Forsythia's, one Lilac and (I think) dead Juniper, grow close together and have the same problem it seems. Stems die from the bottom. Nowhere else in the garden or in the back. I had to cut the stems out, but some were so rotten, I just pulled them out. The bark peels. There is a thin white film on affected stems. I did not think we had a drainage problem, although I now realise, the neighbor's swimming pool is right on the other side - could it be that it leaks? I don't know if I can save the shrubs, or if I should remove them totally? What can this be? I have a picture, but cannot figure out how to post it to the forum...