Is it okay to plant shrubs at this time of the year

[MrsFogi]

or will everything die of heat exhaustion? I've got two dead conifers that I want to get rid of asap (as they look horrible (and dead)). I have 6 Phitonia Red Robins in 1L pots and 3 Lonicera nitidas in 8cm pots - dh thinks that if I plant any of these now they will all die. Does anyone who has a clue have an idea if dh is right or if my "chuck it in a hole with a bit of compost and hope for the best" approach to gardening be okay (assuming I water every day it doesn't rain)?

I have planted things at this time of year and had them survive, but I did water water water! A really long soaking every morning and evening unless it has rained a lot (a brief drizzle might make the ground look wet but it'll be dry an inch down.

I guess it depends on how much you hate the dead things and how much you care about the new plants. It would be less risky to wait until autumn, but it will probably be ok now if you're happy to water.

Don't forget you might need a neighbour to water for you if you go on holiday. The watering will have to keep going through August and in to September I would think