It is likely the plants are not dead, just dormant. We ship fresh plants shortly after digging them. We ship dormant, bare-root plants that are not in bloom or flowering when we ship them.  Also below is a picture of how to do the "scratch test," which is an excellent way to see if your plants are alive but dormant or dead. Below are some pictures of what various plants look like when shipped dormant and what they will look like when they bloom after proper care.