Whether a result of incorrect or insufficient pruning in previous years, both bushes had reached a height of 2.5m this Spring (too big for my requirements) with each of them flowering at around 20% only.

When I saw the flush of flowers this year I was disappointed (last year had been quite stingy too) and so as soon as they started to drop, I resorted to a very drastic pruning.

I cut one in three of the thickest and oldest stems (around 1.5" in diameter) to ground level and cut the remaining flowering stems to a little less than half their original height.

The only problem being that neither bush has ANY leaves left on it. Both shrubs were very leggy at the base and since all the top growth has gone, I am just left with a few bare stems. This was done two weeks ago and we are currently experiencing something of a heatwave in London but I am yet to see ANY signs of new growth. No buds, no shoots, no signs of basal breaks. They have both been fed and watered sufficiently.

My question is that having cut back into old wood, have I stunted or even killed both shrubs in the process?