[Grubbypaws]

My garden is bordered on all sides by an old Privet hedge. In January the temperature got down to -17.5C and the hedge went completely brown. Is there any chance that it will recover come spring or is it dead?

[Jamie Butterworth]

Just been out to check  mine and its still green and remebered its an evergreen so it shouldnt go brown, it may be dead but i would wait until summer and see how it is then, if its still brown come summer i would chop it back and see if it grows back.

[JayG]

My garden is bordered on all sides by an old Privet hedge. In January the temperature got down to -17.5C and the hedge went completely brown. Is there any chance that it will recover come spring or is it dead?

My garden is the same, and the poor old privets (which I believe were planted when the houses were built about 80 years ago!) are looking more brown than green just now but I'm sure they'll be fine when it warms up a bit.

I would be a little worried if they had no green on them at all though! 

[Yorkie]

Do the thumbnail test on a main stem.  Use your thumbnail to scrape back a very little of the top layer of bark.  If it's green or white, the plant is still alive.  If it's brown, that bit is dead. 

[compostqueen]

I think they will be ok. Mine looked brown and dead but today I noticed green leaves re-appearing.  Good job too as I have yards and yards of the things