You don't give your zone so it is hard to tell where you live and if it is time for it to return. Some of this depends on your zone because having cut it down in September, had it tried to return when a freeze hit it, it might have died. Did you have it mulched? Where do you live? I seriously doubt they are dead but one never can be for sure. Would be a good idea to list your zone and if you know the type clematis they are so because although they may return if they are in groups 1-2, you might have scant to no bloom.

Karen..You can't hurt a clematis by cutting it back...generally, they will re-emerge from the ground..as stated above knowing your zone is important( If you are a much colder zone..it's still early for them to come up)...once it has grown back and you can take a pic of the flower someone might be able to identify it for you then you can know the proper technique for pruning...if it's a pruning group 2 which blooms on old wood would only mean since he pruned it back that it will bloom later in the season for you...if they are pruning group 3 which bloom on new wood then they most likely will come back with a revived vigor...let's us know when you see it starting to peek back outta the ground...Here in Texas mine started about a month ago....Jeanne

Every year on this forum we hear about bad bad spouses who go crazy with shears and weed trimmers and cut down clematis. We also hear about active dogs and hungry rabbits who cause damage. Alarm sets in and letters appear here. Every year we suggest that you relax, be patient and see what grows. Then the letters of thanks appear later in the season.
So, in the meantime, I suggest protecting them from bitter fluctuations in temperature (as well as from dogs and bunnies) and also keeping them watered.
Yes, including your geographic area and information on the type of clematis would be most helpful.

Whe do men do these things! I came home one day last summer and the neighbor next door who we are friends with was chopping the h...ll out of the shrubs along the front porch. (OUCH). I said "You're gonna be in trouble when Jackie sees what you're doing." Needless to say when she came home she began to cry and the front door slammed several times. I went back out and said, "I told you so!"
Hee Hee, he never did that again. Suzanne

I think they do it to P-ss us off..LMAO

Gardenbug...but what if the problem is dogs that water a plant too often?

I'm on my second Triternata Rubromarginata (this one a 5 gal plant) and one of my dogs seems to prefer peeing on this variety (even though I planted them in different places). It has not yet emerged (though Florida Seiboldii has) and I'll admit I'm worried.

My wife doesn't prune or touch my clematis, she is just happy having her friends drive by the house and ask her how she manages it all.

~Chills

Bad husband Bad.

I'm the husband that PLANTS the flowers, (& I don;t leave the seat up) so we're not all alike!

I'm no expert, but I do know some clematis need to be cut in fall, others in spring, and some grow from the "wood". I'm in the deep south, and the heat really gets them, the only ones I've seen bloom through the summer are in very shaded areas with filtered sun. Anyway, be patient, and look very closely at the crown above the roots. If you're in zone 6 or above, you ought to see little shoots coming from the base. Also, I;ve learned never to give up on a plant too early. I was about to pull out some Mexican bush sage, as several are already 12" high, and sure enough, there's iddy biddy shoots coming...

He may have done you a favor if it was a Group3 type. And if it was young all this did was tell the plant to develop a stronger root system over the winter. I bet it comes back stronger and lusher.

Help!!! I have the same problem. My 5 year old purple Jackmannii clementis has been cut back to 3" above the ground. my husband is in big trouble. I saw what he cut off and it was actually starting to bud! I'm in zone 5. Will it be beautiful again or will I have to wait years for it to cover my deck railing?

It should be bigger and better than ever this year. It's supposed to be pruned back hard every year. Some prune them to the ground, some a little higher. I always prune above the first leaf node, but wouldn't worry about it if mine were cut as short as 3".

Ditto to what Bob said ..give it some Rose Fertilizer and top dress with some composted cowmanure and water well and watch that baby shoot up and grow better than ever...Jeanne