I would think that if they are going to come back (along the frost bitten part) you'd see some indication now.

My mini gardenias look deader and deader every day. I really don't know what happened. They survive much lower temps in the winter.

Whew! I'm relieved to find out I'm not the only one with horrible looking gardenias. I've already pulled one out of the ground. I'm praying for a miracle with the other two. They were so pretty last year...now they have black stems and barely any leaves.

My gardenia radicans (the small ones) look terrbile and may not make it. However, my August Beauty gardenias are looking good!

I have been ignoring my mini gardenias, but did see a glimpse of bright green among the black and brown mess. I'll give it another week and if there is still green showing, I'll clip off the dead stuff and leave it in the ground.

how do I know parts are really dead? I have 3 of the dwarf variety (I planted them last year). There are bright green leaves on the edges but the centers are brown and woody with crunchy leaves and the whole plant seems to be growing flat along the ground instead of mounding. I cut some of the brown stuff off and found green in the wood, so I think I'm just going to leave them alone for a while and see what happens.