I hate to be the burden of bad news... but I'm almost positive they're gone... I know we've had a snow/rain winter and you probably have had the same. Without looking at the plants themselves... just looking at the puddle of water the one in the first photo is sitting in. I had one that I thought may have been sitting in water. I pulled it up and the entire hole I dug was filled to the brim with water. Thanks to the frozen soil (to which water couldn't drain) and heavy snow/rains throughout the winter.

If you have clay or hard to drain soil, plant on a mound... a good 5" above the soil. Then slope the mound so it's a good 4-5' in diameter. I don't like little 1' round mounds... it's just going to run down the small mound and still end up in the planting hole.

But don't dig it up until spring... you just never know.

the future is all in the buds ...

and i cant see them in your pix ...

all you can do ... is wait and see if they bud out ...

viable buds should remain hard and of normal color... it they start getting black or mushy ... that isnt good ....

i have had pines... lose every single needle and bud out normally ... and never look back ...

i am not concerned about transitory flooding due to snow melt and frozen soil .... in my experience.. dormant plants can cope on some level ... IMHO ... but i have always dealt with high draining soil.. unlike rick ....

but again... whomever is right.. you wont know until they bud out.. or not ..

if these are the straight species... then i would consider them telephone forest trees... see link

IF THESE FAIL ... let us guide you toward some named varieties.. that would be much more suited to suburbia.. presuming that is where you garden ...

keep up the hope ... i bet they survive, if your soil drains .. especially the parts that were under snow cover ...

ken

Here is a link that might be useful: link

i confused you with smithstudio ... my GW hosta buddy .... this morning ... you people with these alias names.. lol .... whats your real name.. jones???? ... lol .. anyway ....

are these the spruce in your concept plan in the tree forum??? .. the yellow and purple title???

if so... you have many years to worry about my comments regarding overgrowing your yard ... lol ...

good luck

ken

There are tons of us Smiths running around! You are correct Ken, the "spruces" on my layout in my other thread have been replaced with the Fraser firs.

Ken- If I do decide to replace the fraser firs (they are looking worse by the day) what would you suggest? Maybe some variety of Korean fir?

what you need in your rather small space.. is somewhat expensive named culitvars that you know what to expect in growth ...

my fear with your plan ... is that your are buying forest trees ... plain old green species trees ... on cost alone ... and inside 10 years... you are going to be wondering how to get rid of these future telephone poles ..

i know what grows in my yard.. i dont know what will thrive in your area ... dax would probably be more attuned to that ... having lived in chitown area ...

is there any labeled collection of conifers in the area.. wait a minute ... riches ... see link ... dax worked for the guy i think.. in the way back machine ....

call them.. make an appointment ... take the checkbook.. and print out your plan.. and go buy some quality trees.. from a guy who lives in the greater area ... and explain your budget issues .... and your size constraints ... etc ... you will be paying them for the service by buying plants from them ....

trust me.. i do it all the time... there are a million hundred dollar trees ... and 20 dollar look alikes ... you dont need to buy the expensive ones ... also trust me.. a couple hours of the best fun you can have with your clothes on ... lol ... plus.. you will most likely seeing them growing.. in the ground... which is much better than the intraweb pix of plants in OR ...

and do look for the local arb .. to visit ... also ...

do remember to take all the seats out of the minivan.. if your checkbook will allow some purchases ... and if they dont all fit.. you have them marked as sold.. and drive back the following weekend ...

just do it.. and quit hoping you can get the guidance you need.. from strangers here ... my real problem with helping you landscape.. is that i never made a plan in my life.. i buy a plant.. and dig a hole and plant it.. then go buy another.. and when my bright idea fails.. i get rid of the plant ... or.. on 5 acres.. mostly just whine and complain.. and never get rid of my problems.. lol ... and i just cant look at pix of your yard.. and your drawing.. and conceptualize it all ... its just not in my training .. all i know.. looking at that your pix and plan .. is that you are buying too much stock.. that will grow much too big... presuming you are there 10 or 20 years ...

good luck, and do let me know how it all works out .. if you go .. perhaps a new post on how great it was.. and what you bought ....

ken

ps: declare it your birthday present and go hog wild.. lol.. been there.. done that ...

pps: i dont know if he sells trees... but my shiny nickle says he can tell you what tree.. and where to get it local ...

ppps: i think i did meet rich at hidden lakes during some chub harper honorarium event.. but i am sure he wouldnt know me from adam .... so dont bother dropping my alias.. thinking that will get you to see the good hidden stuff .. might get you kicked out.. lol ...

Here is a link that might be useful: link

Would Fraser firs even be expected to do well in Chicago? Summer (JJA) conditions are, somewhat surprisingly, almost the same as those at Aberdeen, MD, with very slightly lower afternoon highs.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chicago
http://www.sercc.com/cgi-bin/sercc/cliMAIN.pl?md0015

I would never plant a Fraser fir here. Too warm.

Thanks to everyone.

David: The more research I've done, the more I've realized the frasier firs were a bad choice.

Ken: I really appreciate your suggestions to visit and purchase from Rich's, but he is WAY out of our price range. It looks like the cheapest conifer he sells is $75 and the vast majority are over $100. We have redone our whole yard by buying online stock, big box stock, and donations, and are VERY HAPPY with the results. I don't believe we've spent over $25 on any one tree/shrub/perennial. I understand we need specific cultivators in this application but I know I can get reasonably priced trees from sites such as Kigi Nursery, Conifer Kingdom, Evergreen Nursery or Western Evergreen.

That being said, I am trying to achieve a look similar to this (the different colors, shapes, textures):

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I know the area I'm working with is small (approximately 20' by 15') but I have no problem cutting down a tree once it reaches it useful/optimal size. By creating some diversity in this area, cutting down one tree (and starting a new one) won't destroy the privacy aspect we are trying to create.

I have spent a lot of time searching on here and looking at google images of various conifers and am pretty sure I want to plant at least one Picea pungens 'Hoopsii' (or similar) and/or one Abies Koreana.

As always, any suggestions are appreciated. Have a great weekend!