The vagaries of weather seldom stray from the gardener’s thoughts, and sometimes inhabit his restless sleep. January is often discomforting, bundling against the chill, but also with apprehension that survival of treasures exposed in the garden is beyond his control.
The return of milder temperatures in recent days was most welcome after a two week spell of cold, though the change is temporary with another chill on the way. Nighttime lows were not exceptionally cold (zero degrees is the typical winter low for most of our area), but the extended stretch of temperatures below freezing was unusual, and it could be weeks before damage in the garden can be assessed.
To the best of my recollection, cold injury to winter daphnes (Daphne odora) and paperbushes (Edgeworthia chrysantha) was evident immediately following extreme cold in recent years. Today, there is only minor damage to foliage of winter daphnes (and no apparent injury to flower buds) and none to paperbushes, so I’m encouraged.
Flowers of winter blooming mahonias (Mahonia x media) and Vernal witch hazels (Hamamelis vernalis) curled for protection in the cold, along with flowers of snowdrops (Galanthus) emerging through the leaf clutter. All have reopened with mild temperatures, though a chilly breeze portends little color for the coming week.
Happily, I did not remove the cover of fallen Japanese maple leaves from snowdrops, so I expect no damage and the likelihood that flowering of early types will resume. In a fit of motivation (very brief), deep piles of leaves covering hellebores (Helleborus) along the forest’s edge were removed a few weeks ago. While the freeze delayed early flowering, no damage is expected and it appears that swollen buds will open in the next few weeks, with a single flower this afternoon.
Ramblin' through Dave's Garden 
I do not think I have ever seen daphne damaged by the cold!
Daphne odora is hardy to zone 7. It is noticeably unhappy after several nights to zero and one below, but it’s been through colder, so it will survive.
Several other hybrid daphnes are much more cold hardy, and they show no ill effect.
I love your photo of the snowdrops pushing through the Japanese maple leaves! I too am estimating the impact of recent hard frosts; thankfully, I was able to finish mulching before they arrived, and even organize myself enough to cover some containers with frost cloth, so I’m optimistic. My one daphne gave up the ghost before winter, as they sometimes do, but while I wait to replace it, the mahonias seem to be doing fine.
Perhaps I’ve been fortunate, but hybrid daphnes such as Eternal Fragrance and Summer Ice have been much more vigorous than other daphnes. They are considerably more cold hardy, but also seem less finicky. Sometimes this is just luck, but I hear comments that tell me these might be good choices. Also, they flower for long periods.