Hello, qh41267. The browned out margins in the leaves appear to occur on leaves on the "outside" of the plant. That suggests winter injury to me, a common problem this year (more evident in the New England states).

You may want to protect (cover) the plants when the winter weather (cold temps, drying winds) is going to be severe. When the partly dried leaves fall to the ground, throw them away in order to prevent fungal diseases.

To minimize winter injury in the future, make sure that the plant has gone dormant by fall and maintaining 3-4" of mulch. One way to assure dormancy is not to use nitrogen fertilizers (lawn fertilizers, that is) near the plant after mid-summer starts.

One more comment.... please check the underside the leaves and tell us what you see (or photograph it). Some of the the leaves in the last picture show a mottled yellowish look that suggests sucking insects like whiteflies, lace bugs or perhaps sunscald (how much sun do these plants get?).

Luis

PS - I forgot to mention that the white powder on the browned leaves may be indication of a fungal infection called Pestalotia Leaf Spot. This is a secondary infection caused by the winter damage and is best treated with sanitation techniques so make sure you do not water the plant leaves, keep good air circulation, throw away the affected/browned leaves (and any other plant debris under the plants) in the trash (not the compost bin), do not overwater, etc. Or if you really want to, you can use fungicides (if you want to, spray Bayleton, Benomyl, etc) per label instructions.

These plants face south so they get a lot of sun...esp when summer gets going around here...

thanks for the help...really good to know not to water the leaves...I would have just watered over the top of the plant...

I guess I should water at the root???