Landscape crews can decimate plants. I won't let ours touch a single plant and I think that makes them happier than if they cut the wrong plants down.
Don't fret about Fretwell or Pink Champagne. Many people cut all but Class 1 clematises back hard every few years. They will still bloom even if it's a later bloom time than normal. They'll probably reward you with vigorous growth.
The discrepancy between Class 2 and 3 is not earth shattering. Some cut those varieties (like Niobe and Ernest Markham) back by half after bloom while others cut them down to the earth in February. My Niobe crept behind the trellis that I can't move so not much cutting goes on with that one. Compost, Epsom Salt, manure and sunshine must matter more to them since they always bloom for me. And what could be easier for you to remember than CEMS?
