Frost-damaged shrubs may come back weakly at first but eventually recover over a period of years. Clipping may increase likelihood of damage to marginal sorts by forcing late growth that gets nipped.

In the case of Viburnum tinus (another one much damaged this winter in some districts) clipping also promotes the development of a nasty mildew that makes the shrubs smell of cat poo - and is not seen to a significant extent on specimens not being formally sheared.

I know how you feel about the escallonias. I'm pretty sure I lost 9 out of 10 escallonias that I have in my garden. I "think" one may have survived because it did not lose ALL it's leaves and I see a few buds on a very few branches. They are some of my favorites as they flower all summer long. Very sad. They are all around the circle turnaround in front of my house and several along the stone steps coming up to my back patio. I haven't dug them up yet, because I am still hoping, but I'm not very optimistic.

On the other hand, the 6 abelias that I thought were dead have started showing life on the lower branches!! I cut them pretty far back this weekend to where the buds start and I think they are going to make it! Yea!!

I did lose 2 Viburnum tinus. They were soft and wet and seemed rotten down to the base of the plant. From now on I'm replacing all of them with very cold hardy plants at least down to Zone 6. I think I'll replace the Escallonias with Spireas. There are so many different varieties and they flower all summer and are very hardy.

Spiraeas look dead all winter so don't go overboard with those. They also require a moist situation, whereas escallonias need a hot and dry spot to do well in this region.

'Donard Seedling' ('Apple Blossom' misapplied) is more hardy and graceful than Pink Princess ('Frades') TM.

It does seems as thought I have lost all three of my esvcallonia.... so sad. And it seems as if I am not the only one! I always think of spirea as sort of scraggly and floppy.... can you suggest a good variety? The soil is sandy and very shaded in that location.

Full light and adequate moisture for best results with spiraeas. The lowland native one is S. douglasii, which forms thickets in sunny wet places. Part shade is OK, but as with most shrubs as it gets shadier there comes a point where growth is more open and less vigorous. Many compact forms of S. japonica are on the market. This is the one with the pinkish dome-shaped flowerheads in summer. Forms with yellowish leaves are popular.

I'm forgetting now what your criteria where (and am in the mode where original thread cannot be seen) but shady and sandy might be most readily furnished with easily located ornamental native shrubs like salal and evergreen huckleberry. In addition to having pretty small leaves and flowers the last is also an edible fruit bush, esteemed by some for pie making.

My so-called 'Apple Blossom' escallonia looks really ratty, but the few days of warm weather has brought out many new leaf buds, so I guess disaster has been averted this time.