I've tried to start cuttings of clematis, but had little success and it takes a long time for them to size up. You're better off to just buy one that's already blooming size. I got a couple of really nice ones at Lowe's for $12.95 when I was in Salt Lake a month or so ago. But watch the ads and you can get them for less.
Another tip, when we were planting my daughter's garden in Salt Lake, literally from scratch (a baked clay wasteland), we got 40% off on perennials, shrubs and trees at the end of the season, so if you're planning to buy those types of things for your new areas, that's a great time to buy and also a really good time to plant.
