They are beauties. What is the red one?

I never know how to treat them. Do you cut them way back?

Those are beautiful! I haven't cut mine back yet so thanks for the reminder.
Someone mentioned wilt in another thread. My jackmanii did that two years in a row and then it never did it again. It looked completely dead both times and then regrew.
Helen - do you know the name of your clematis. Not all of them are supposed to be pruned back in March. It depends on the type.

One is HF Young, Jackmann, and maybe President and Barbara Jackman but I don't know which is which. Those are tags I've found in the yard. They get washed or blown away from the plant. I usually don't prune clematis at all, but it would be easier if I did. They make a tangle that make it hard to weed areas. I know I have pictures of them blooming early. I think you are supposed to prune based on when they bloom.

I wonder if there's a chart out there somewhere that lists the cultivar names and type so you know when to prune them. Maybe they would know in the clematis forum.
I've lost track of the names of three of mine, a double white, one that's reddish purple, and one that's sort of brownish pink and white. I have two others that were labled Jackmanii but they're not the same. One has small flowers. I think the one on the front corner of my house is the real jackmanii and I prune it back to about a foot tall in March. That's the extent of my knowledge. lol

Helen, I don't think it hurts any of them to just do nothing, but they should do better if you prune according to the type they are: Group 1, 2 or 3. This is based on when and how they bloom.

Here is a very good website that will help you figure it all out.

Here is a link that might be useful: Pruning Clematis

The red Clematis is "Niobe" the other is "Nelly Moser". I cut new Clematis to the ground the year after they are planted to grow more stems. For pruning I grab the big wads of hanging vines and cut them off. Then I look for the best remaining buds and cut back to them. Occasionally I will refresh a Clematis by cutting it to the ground. It will send out fresh new vines. "Niobe" will grow in deep shade for me.

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Your Niobe died last year and it was only 3 years old. I was so sad because I loved it. I guess I'll have to buy another one and plant it in a different spot. I have a pretty bench/trellis to grow it over.

I have Niobe too but it is fairly new so isn't nearly as large as yours. It looks great with the red Japanese maple.

I lost my Will Goodwin to wilt a couple of years ago and it never came back. I plan to get another one. It had huge light blue flowers. I just loved it.