What's died and what's pretending

dave125

The recent weather played merry havoc with my garden but most things seem to be bouncing back now. I'm most concerned about my Salvia Hotlips, it's gone black & crispy. I always assumed you didn't cut this one back so has it had it. The Amistad was similar but I've cut that right back before and it's normally fine. Similar thing with my Astilbes although it's the first winter for them so not sure what to do.
Lost all my Cyclamen under the snow and about half of my Primulas but my Vinca looked totally bereft of life but just bounced back in two days and is now flowering!
Roll on the weekend.
Luv from Dave

nutcutlet

wait and see with the salvias. Cyclamen, depends which sort, the ones sold for winter pots aren't very hardy. Astilbes should be OK so should vinca

Borderline

Some of the damage is more to do with the wet weather that followed. This normally ruins the leaves so you could end up with delayed growth. Astilbes should be fine, but they may take a while to develope more new leaves. It's hard to say with the Salvias, but they should not be written off until late April. The Cyclamens are probably not dead, just ruined from the wet damp weather and heavy snow. 

punkdoc

All plant deaths should be seen as an opportunity to plant something new, not as a disaster.
Sometimes a hard winter is just what we need to make some changes.

fidgetbones

I'm not going to trim hotlips  yet.  The Amistad I lifted so it is in a pot in the greenhouse. I think my Geranium palmatum is looking the worse for it, although the centre looks OK so it may recover.

AnniD

I would definitely wait a while with the salvia, at least until the middle of April. There is more cold weather forecast for this weekend so we are not out of the woods yet. You may be surprised ! And as punkdoc says, it's always an opportunity for something new if needs be.

dave125

Thanks guys I'll leave the Hotlips as suggested it's a lovely flower so would be a shame to lose it.
I also have three woody fuschias that look as dead as some dodo's. I'm ebing advise to cut the right down but that doesn't seem right?

nutcutlet

I'd wait til after winter for the fuchsias. The top growth protects the bottom.

Hostafan1

My Mummy Amistad seems ok, but the cuttings I took, maybe not so.

Fire

I didn't know about not cutting back hotlips? What happens if you do?  (I have)

nutcutlet

the top does protect the roots a bit through the winter