Isn't it great how excited one can get when we see plants grow? I transplanted a Clem a few weeks ago thinking it was dead and was stunned to find 8 new stems just about to pop through. I squealed and showed my hubby but he just couldnt share my excitement. :) Happy Spring!!!!

The Horticultural Society has some wonderful pocket-sized books on clematis, I thought I would share some of their info. I bought this 10 years ago, so the names are from what was available then. I'll post for each group. I hope your lovely vines benefit from the info. I learn something new each time I pick up the book and apply it to one of my pretties. Pruning Group 2 Group composed entirely of early, large-flowered hybrids, including double flowers, whose second flush later in summer produces only single blooms. Can be left unpruned, flowers are larger and foliage healthier on well-pruned plants. Require light pruning in late winter or early spring to thin and create framework of well-spaced one or two year old stems. Fat Leaf axil buds appear in early spring produce first batch of flowers. You can prolong the flowering season if you stagger the pruning by cutting back some shoots to healthy buds later than others. Less flowering on main flush, but flowering period will be longer overall. Alternatively, Group 2 clematis can be grown with minimal pruning and cut back hard every three or four years. The first flush of flowers is lost after hard pruning, but second flush has larger, more plentiful blooms. 1 Cut any weak or damaged growth back to it's point of origin or down to ground. 2 Cut back remaining stems to a pair of healthy buds, leaving an evenly spaced framework of strong growth. The pruned stems will produce flowering shoots. Clematis patens Andromeda - Arctic Queen - Asao - Barbara Dibley - Barbara Jackman - Beauty of Worcester - Bees' Jubilee - Belle Nantaise - Belle of Woking - Blue Ravine - Bracebridge Star - Burma Star - Chalcedony - Cardinal Wyszynski - Carnaby - Carnival Queen - Charissima - Corona - Countess of Lovelace - Crimson King Daniel Deronda - Dawn - Doctor Ruppel - Duchess of Edinburgh - Duchess of Sutherland Edith - Edouard Desfosse - Elsa Spath - Empress of India Etoile de Malicorne - Etoile de Paris - Fair Rosamond - Fair Queen - Fireworks - Fuji musume - Gernal Sikorski Gillian Blades - Glynderek - Guernsey Cream - Haku okan - H.F. Young Henryi - Horn of Plenty - Jackmanii Alba - Jackmanii Rubra James Mason - Joan Picton - John Paul II (Jan Pawell II) John Warren - Kathleen Dunford - Kathleen Wheeler - Keith Richardson Kiri Te Kanawa - Lady Caroline Nevill - Lady Londesborough Lady Northcliffe - Lasurstern - Liberation - Lincoln Star Lord Nevill - Louise Rowe - Marcell Moser - Marie Boisselot - Masquerade (Maskarad) - Maureen - Miss Bateman Miss Crawshay - Monte Cassino - Moonlight - Mrs. Bush - Mrs. Cholmondeley Mrs. George Jackman - Mrs. Hope - Mrs. James Mason - Mrs. N. Thompson Mrs. P. B. Truax, Mrs. Spencer Castle - Multi Blue - Myojo Nelly Moser - Niobe - Peveril Pearl - Pink Fantasy - Pohjanael Prins Hendrik - Proteus - Ramona - Richard Pennell - Rouge Cardinal Royal Velvet - Royalty - Ruby Glow - Scartho Gem - Sealand Gem Serenata - Silver Moon - Snow Queen - Sugar Candy - Sunset Sylvia Denny - The President - The Vagabond - Twilight Wada's Primrose - Warszawaska Nike - W.E. Gladstone - Will Goodwin William Kennett - Victoria - Vino - Violet Elizabeth - Vyvyan Pennell

I am a tad warmer than you and almost always have good snow cover. The only clematis that have been hardy enough to overwinter for me in a container were atragene clematis, the type 1 prune, early small flowering vines.

I just happened on this thread, too. I have been too busy to read GardenWeb like I should!! I went with my mother -- we enjoyed having the time to talk in peace. I agree that the sale wasn't all that exciting, but I enjoyed it anyhow. Green Spring's sale this past spring was bigger. However, at Winterthur, I did get a [Big Sky] Sunset coneflower, three chartreuse tricyrtis and three sedges from PDN. Maybe they'll even come back rustfree next year, Lord willing and the creek don't rise! Also found a clematis, and two American wisteria (just gets about 10', unlike out-of-control imports) for a client. I'm glad I found that vine grower! I also enjoyed the booths of Rare Find Nursery and Broken Arrow Nursery -- good ideas. Broken Arrow had some SWEET kalmias, variegated pieris, and dogwoods, among other plants -- anyone here ever grow dusty zenobia? I might go again just to see the northern growers' stocks. Southern hellebore breeders were there, too, but of course it wasn't the best time of year to showcase their stock. Happy planting... Julia