I to have frozen clematis vines and buds here in middle Tenn on all but one of my clematis that were just ready to open up. The only one I was able to save from the cold weather was one Jack that I planted in a very large 1/2 barrel that I was determined to move or die around the corner of the house and cover up with sheets, towels and a tarp, it had opened up 3 of its 16 blooms. My Dr.Rupple was so tender and full of buds I just get sick looking at it now. Blacken and wilted to almost nothin. I guess there's nothin to do but cut and trim all the damange off. I'll wait until I hear from jeanann and other as to how my babies should be handled now. Saturday morning my temp at my house was 17 degrees. Way to bitter for the green tender growth to survive. Sandy

I know, my yard is positively sickening to look at. My 2 little jap maples look so bad, I don't know if they can recover. All clems are just hanging, limp. I had the best crop of tree peony buds I've ever had, I'm sure they will all blast. I could just cry, if it would do any good. March was entirely too warm. Suprisingly the tulips have picked themselves back up and don't look too bad.

I think my clematis will be okay. It has been in the 20's here- brrr!- but I was able to loosely cover them and so far it looks like it might be enough. I have two blooms on one of them!!! Unfortunately, my crepe myrtles bit the dust including the one that was full of blooms last yr :( My saucer magnolia had already finished blooming but the frost got all the tender, new leaves. I'm really disappointed about the crepe myrtle, last yr was the first yr it was big enough to bloom. My other two that are about 5 ft tall have not bloomed and probably are not getting enough sun. I hope your clematis perk up but, as a beginner, I don't know much about them. I have 6 or 7 and the oldest ones are now 3 yrs old- guess I should expect great things of them this yr, huh? That's IF the frost doesn't come back. Good luck. Brandy