That is the question–sorry, Hamlet. And White Flower Farm has some help with the answer: an article on Plants Slow to Break Dormancy. They have a lot of other articles in the Newsletter section of their Garden Help.
Did my plant die over the winter?
March 20, 2007 – Posted in: FAQ, Recommended LinksAbout the Author
In the end, this may be the most important thing about frost: Frost slows us down. In spring, it tempers our eagerness. In fall, it brings closure and rest. In our gotta-go world–where every nanosecond seems to count–slowness can be a great gift. So rather than see Jack Frost as an adversary, you could choose to greet him as a friend.
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Treat yourself or give that really special gardener in your life a gift that lasts all year! I read Garden Design cover to cover and it always ends too soon!
Go to Botanical Interests website for details.
I have had many a pleasant surprise by leaving my itchy fingers from digging out a plant that I was certain had not over-wintered successfully.
What I try and do is remember which plants are late in coming up and mark them!
Kathy: This comment has no bearing whatsoever on your post, but I wasn’t sure where else to comment. Imagine my surprise when I finally got around to reading my March Northern Gardener magazine and saw you and your blog featured. Very cool!