Too soon to call it dead in Zone 8?

Here in Portland as elsewhere it has been especially cold this winter. I have some plants which are pretty much Zone 8 and have survived at least 7-8 winters just fine but now look like - really, really bad.
Myrtus communis, phygelius, -just went ahead and got rid of some hebes which seem to suffer some damage every winter.

Thankfully, this morning it is actually quite a bit above freezing already! Yay!

Anyway, although I love the plants mentioned, I have lots more I could put in their place if only I had the heart to pull them out now. But, if they might recover well this year, I will leave them. But, I want to get busy.

Anyone else having the same tugs at the heart?

I am located in the Seattle metro area to the east, so my temps are lower (zone 7).
That being said, I think it is a bit early to judge the condition of plants - many will do just fine once the soil starts to warm up.
Phygelius - these respond well to heavy pruning. I usually cut mine back severely - helps keep them in bounds.
Myrtus - wait, and trim back what has turned black or appears dead.
Hebe - I don't trim until mid-April, epending on the weather. A couple of mine took a hit this Winter, but traditionally, when I have pruned them hard, they come back just fine.
My Daphnes look horrible - but they are flowering like crazy. They will get pruned soon.
The Drimys is so-so, as are the Halimiocistus. I don't know what to expect from the Melianthus - can't find it anymore! So I will wait while the "Jeopardy" theme continues playing in the background
I don't like to mess with borderline plants, but I have quite a few. Some make it - some don't.
I completely understand wanting to get busy, but restraint might save you some work & $.
Perhaps you could relocate these ailing plants to another area? Then you could have new & recuperating plants. Best of both worlds!

I agree with Katye that it is too early to make rash decisions, especially as cold as it has STILL been over the last couple of weeks. I have several variety of Rock Roses that have never had a problem in my zone 6/7 world, and this year they all look horrible. Close inspection however, showed green here and there almost all the way to the tips....looks like maybe just the leaves got nipped. I would hate to cut the well established stuff severely back and then realize too late I had made a mistake!

Katye...how do you prune your Daphne? I looked all over last year trying to find info on pruning any of the Daphne varieties, and all I found were articles saying DON'T DO IT!! I have a Daphne x burkwoodii 'Carol Mackie' and a Daphne Odora that are both apparently VERY happy with where I put them. They have both exceeded their expected sizes in just a few years, and I would love to safely gain some of my garden space back from them.

I'm mostly in your neck of the woods-well, more or less.... I'm finding the same as Rarejem. Looks bad, not dead. I just cleaned up my phygelius yesterday. It's not pretty, but it's looking like it's starting to rebound, so I went ahead and pruned it. It needs encouragement to not overreach and grow toward the deck. I found lots of good, live wood all through it (especially in the branches that want to grow the wrong direction, lol)

But, waiting to see how everything survived is driving me nuts! I keep crawling around and poking at things just to get an idea. I feel like the kid who can't wait for xmas and is looking under all the beds for the presents! What's weird is at xmas I don't want to know ahead of time... :)

We've been inside for a long time now and anxious. Many gardeners experience this "deficiency" for a few months (depending on the climate in which you live), and I believe we get to a point where we're compelled to plunge our hands into the soil & plant.
Perhaps a natural response to increasing light.

And, today it is pouring!

I know I must be patient. It's especially difficult when we do have some nice days and can get out to see new growth on so many other things but some chores seem premature. Of course, there is always weeding....

I will garden in the cold and I will garden in the rain but I whine when it is cold AND rainy.

OK.... I can take cold too, and I can even take cold and rainy if I bundle up........BUT WHO DID THE STINKIN SNOW DANCE AGAIN? Even I am not that much of a trooper! Looks like it is going to be a work in the greenhouse day today. Doesn't mother nature know that I have things to do in the garden?

This message was edited Mar 15, 2009 7:35 AM

This message was edited Mar 15, 2009 7:35 AM

Okay, so I won't complain. It's in the low 40's here so at least we won't have any of that stuff. (Must confess to loving snow in the winter - and technically it still is - but enough is enough!)

Beautiful picture Rarejem. But I am done with the whole snow thing. Unfortunately, Mother Nature has her own plans. What did we do to deserve this? Cut down one of her favorite trees? Or overwater/underwater her favorite garden?

I'm with you both, Enough allready. 4" and still going.

Ours has turned to rain thankfully and is now melting so it's a big slippery mess! Greenhouse here I come!

Ours is rain now too..and yes Rachierabbit.......slippery as ! Bout did a header going out on my deck a while ago. I usally love the snow in the winter too...but that's because we usually don't get much of it. It's March in the PNW for crying out loud...supposed to have seen at least a few days near 60! I agree with Tilly.....ENOUGH!

How terrible. Snow in March. We didn't get it here but it's been wet and cold. I sure hope we don't have another long, cold spring like we had last year. So many plants we're so late to bloom.

Joy

We had snow again this morning! LOL

I was told yesterday at the Whidbey Gardening Workshop not to count anything as dead until June as the top can look completely gone but the roots may be just fine.

I was surprised to see new shoots on this little rose, he stayed out all winter and now this.

Awoke to snow this morning & it continued until 9:45-ish. Now it's sunny, but the wind decided to pay a visit. This one is not the gentle kind.....

Wow, snow for all of you! When I talked to my mom this morning she said she thought she saw snow on the top of Queen Anne, but I was skeptical. Guess mom is always right! None here, but plenty of rain, and now it's really gusty. I don't mind working in the garden in cold too much (Within reason, anyhow), but wind and pouring, not so much. Normal drizzle is one thing, but when it's coming down sideways and gusting like crazy it's time for hot tea and a good book instead!