"pelham1975" wrote

I have a seven year old privet hedge, which has previously grown well,
and in every winter save for this last one has held on to most of its
leaves. This year it lost every leaf, and although about half of the
plants are sprouting replacements quite nicely, the remainder is still
without any foliage or green buds at all. I've cut into a number of
branches, but instead of being nice and green immediately under the bark
like the healthy ones are, they're brown instead. The same branches are,
though, light green in colour at their very centres.

Hi Pelham, did you have a particularily hard winter where you are as so many
in the USA did along the east coast? If so, you may have lost a few of them
but the pale green at the center leads to hope. You are going the right
things. I'd wait a bit longer before replacing them and do some good
trimming of any wood that seems still 'brittle'. In 2-3 weeks if you dont
see growth, take out the dead ones and plant new.