Let it go! Let it go! Can't hold this plant anymore

Rob and I cycled to Mrs L to help with her pots. Her mobile number didn't work but fortunately she must have seen us out the window and come down to see us. It had been such a frosty morning, -7° no less, that the plants and soil were frozen solid in the pots. She'd been poorly and lost mobility in her hands but just wanted us to tidy up the pots and trim away the dead stems. We couldn't dig out the plants as they were frozen in so gave them a quick tidy up and and then went on our way.