Wow, that's too bad, Sherry. I've never grown Mermaid, mainly because I also expect it to grow like a weed and I've also heard it has truly vicious thorns.
In your zone, it shouldn't have suffered any winter kill, but I've heard that it's ultra-sensitive to wind. Are they in windy spots? If not, I'd say the fault is with the nursery, not with you.
