You've gotta' wonder. Down here at the border of zone 6/7 some salvias are just coming up, but they are the marginal ones for here. My wife planted Cardonna last year, and after our hard wet winter it was gone. Is everything else now growing where you are? If so, it doesn't sound good. Were the plants listed as hardy in your area? You might want to run a yahoo search and find their hardiness zone if you are unsure.