Astilbes should be up by now. Butterfly bush can be quite late - give that another month before declaring it dead. I haven't grown Phlox for awhile, so I can't recall exactly when that surfaces, but I think it's usually up by now.

BP

My Phlox have been up for a month now in some areas of the gardens that are 'warm'. In 'cool' areas they are just starting to surface.

Astilbes are starting to surface seriously now.

Butterfly bushes are still sleeping and will do so for another two week to a month.

My butterfly bush here just below Barrie..is JUST showing life again. I had left it full height to see if it would rebud on last years growth, but no, once again, I chopped it down to about 8", and lo and behold it's sprouting in the freaky snow/sleet we had today. I wish it could get bigger than the 4' height that it reaches every year.

They should have poked through the ground by now.