Clematis prefer much the same growing conditions as roses - deep, organically rich soil, regular watering during summer and similar nutrient requirements. That's one of the reasons they make such good planting companions.

Some clematis are quite shade tolerant but most will prefer at least 6 hours of sun daily to bloom well. Bicolors or ones that have colored bars in the petals and some pinky colored ones can bleach out if in full day sun, so some partial shade, especially in the hot afternoon, may be best for these varieties.

It depends on the clematis type as to how and when they bloom. Some bloom once only in early spring, some bloom in midspring, some may bloom then and then produce a small rebloom later and some don't bloom until midsummer or into fall. When you want the flowering will determine which varieties to choose from but it is possible, in mild climates, to have some type of clematis in bloom virtually every month of the year. 'Snow Queen' produces its primary bloom flush in mid to late spring on growth produced the previous year and it can produce a later, lighter bloom in late summer or early fall on the current season's growth.

Clematis cannot be allowed to dry out. Neither do they like soggy soil. The often repeated suggestion that they need their roots in shade is really just to encourage a cool and evenly moist root run. Water enough to keep the soil at the base evenly moist - not too wet, never too dry. Containerized clematis need even more attention - a confined root system and not very much soil will necessitate daily watering in hot weather, perhaps even several times a day. And frequent fertilization, as all that watering removes nutrients that must be replaced. In very warm or dry weather, some varieties may experience dried lower foliage. This is not unusual and really not much of a concern, although not the most attractive look.

Clematis wilt is a serious issue that affects primarily the large flowering hybrids - species clematis and those hybrids very close to the species (like the viticella hybrids) tend to be immune to it. There is some debate on what exactly is the cause, a fungal organism or just a phenomenon of very rapid topgrowth that the fragile stems cannot fully support. In either case, it is seldom fatal and just requires the plants be pruned back hard and then given normal care. You can often short circuit wilt issues by careful planting (deep, so that 2-4 inches of stem are buried) and hard pruning for the first couple of seasons. This encourages a better developed root system and more stems being produced from the root crown, so increased resistance to this problem. The good news is that most plants will outgrow a tendency to wilt by their fifth year.

For someone new to clematis, the viticellas often are suggested as a good place to start. They are tough, vigorous vines that bloom from midsummer through to fall. They tend to have smaller flowers than the popular but more finnicky large flowered hybrids (like 'Snow Queen') but they are produced in profusion over a long season. They are resistant to wilt and are the most easily pruned, cutting back hard each spring to around 18" or to the third set of buds if a very well established vine.