Wow, they sure did a miserable job at it, that's for sure! So sorry about your clem! :( I hope it survives. I don't know enough about clems to help you, someone else here will be able to answer you I'm sure. But wow, what a hack job for a groundskeeper...

~Tina

WHATTTTTTTTT? I would be so P O... But It will be fine in the long haul, just not this year. Next spring early or mid Febuary I cut mine to the ground. I relize your are in Ohio but I don't think the winter will hurt you SAC just because it got a hair cut early... But still you would think a groundskeeper would have known better then that.. Sandy

Here, the groundkeepers don't give a hoot. They do whatever they are told to do basically. They also don't know squat about clematis or even what it is! lol

I know these guys are tough so I have hope. Since it is still early enough that people do plant now. Thankgod they did it now instead of October I guess. At least it'll still have the 8 weeks or more before the first frost. Phew!
Now, however, I am worried that they will do the same each year. I hope not! Maybe I will need to keep up the "trimming" myself in spring, so they don't think they have to do it themselves! :)

I' sure it will be completely fine.

That bush your clem climbs on needs trimmed up nicer anyway and I'm certain you would do a better job than that 'groundskeeper' did. :( That was an awful job by them. A professional? Yeesh! I surely hope it was just some joe the management paid to hack bushes versus a pro doing the job. Even I can do a better more even job than that and I'm no pro at it.

~Tina

SAC is Pruning group 3 and should be cut back hard each spring. It is also hardy here in z:4 so should be fine, you will just have fewer blooms now.

It was just some "Joe" that management hires to get the job done.
I had so many buds that still had yet to bloom soon on it, oh well sigh...
Little do they know how big and full that sucker will get! he,he,he! lol
That SAC is just a baby at 1 year old! lol

Oh, well then, you can go out and top off that shrubby thing it's draped on. Level it off better I mean. This fall. Then your clem will have an even better 'platform' for you to enjoy it from! :D

~Tina

Mine has just been blooming for a couple days now, i'll wait and post a picture of it when it is in full bloom. Sandy

My SAC Picture taken Sept 11,2011
{{gwi:621323}}

Now that's what I call BIG! :) I hope mine gets that big! I just hope also that the "management" doesn't do something stupid and think it's an overgrown wild vine. I HAVE told them that it's not, but you know how that goes! lol

Sandy, how old is your's? It must be a few years old at least! Gorgeous I bet and beautifully stinky too.

Hi Kentstar..It's four years old this year, and the smell is unbelivable this year. I have two in 20 gal pots that I have been pinching the runs from all summer, just been to lazy and way to hotttt and dry here to dig holes for them, so I just placed the pots in the shade out of the hot sun and I pinched the runners off every couple days and they both have roots coming out of the bottom of their pots, they both should have a large root ball, now if I can only make myself dig holes for them.

I join mnwsgal in reassuring you that SAC is a tough gal & will be fine - pruning was just a bit early & diminished her beauty.

Mine was taken down by a late tornado on her 2nd season ~ just when I was just getting ready to prune her down at the suggestion of a SAC owner in MI. Reason for the Fall pruning is to avoid the very disaster that happened (Blizzardy winds).
I've posted this older album before just to show how resilient SAC is!

Thanks for viewing!

Here is a link that might be useful: SAC pruned by Tornado

Thanks all! Ditas, glad your's survived to prosper again :) They are resilient and there is still a lot left of her so that's good. I just hope the park management doesn't make it a habit every year. I did explain to him (pm) that I do cut her back in spring and she regrows and flowers now, so hopefully he got the hint. If you are going to prune the hedges, please do so in spring! lol

I'm constantly applying Roundup and/or stump & vine killer to the SAC's that grow invasively in Philadelphia's Fairmount Park. Unfortunately, they seem to come back every year stronger than ever. If you want this plant, I can't imagine it won't do the same thing as when you're trying to remove it.

Oh My lords that SAC is just beautiful! I am going to have to find myself one. :) I love it. Now... where to put one? LOL

~Tina