Mike, thanks so much for that feedback!
You hit the nail on the head with the misinformation from nurseries and even growers. I think the bottom line is that nobody wanted to take a chance on recommending something that was untried in a new climate. There was no anecdotal European evidence for Zones 9b and below, so they just left those zones out completely in the ratings... leaving the impression that clematis could not grow there. That's one of the main reasons why an accurate database that is targeted to North America is so important.
It would be REALLY helpful if you could shoot me a cmail about which cultivars do really well for you there. If we could get "best performer" lists from every active member, we'd be well on our way to developing a great anecdotal base of info!
