Can't argue with any of the sage advice offered by Sharon Rose. Lyn I am just as guilty as you, in that I only discovered when the ground first froze last year, a tiny new Clematis in the basement, which I had forgotten to plant! LOL. So I barely kept it alive through the Winter, but it is still alive! I have a lot of Clematis, they are (will be) growing up fences or arbours or trellises everywhere very soon. Noticed a lot of buds forming on the old canes on a bunch of Clematis the other day which is the main reason why I will never prune any Clematis until I can establish what canes are still alive! Don't care what "the book" says! Anyway, here is my two cents worth: Clematis will grow to have huge root systems-huge!!! If there is any way that you could plant it out, that in my opinion would be the best course. Here, some Winters the temps go down to - 20C, and I seldom lose a Clematis. They love heat as well with the old adage being: "Keep their roots in the shade, and their tops in the Sun." So, if you could plant some low growing shrub in front of it, or put a 24" planter box in front of it, loaded with any annual that will grow where you are (preferably with a colour that either compliments or contrasts - there's your shade! Love to see an end of summer pic, no matter what option you choose. Cheers
