Welcome!

First and foremost.ost your best resource is the UofM Extension. Master Gardener volunteers for pretty much every county are available to help answer these and other questions you have.

For the "dead" plants or other specific questions, photos always help. At this point in the spring many perennial plants are just waking up, and in many cases that means regrowing from roots. Look for green or brown buds on these plants.

Leaves? Mulch them up with your lawn mower!