Climbing clematis (there are some species that are herbaceous border plants) can generally fit into one of three groups.
Group one Clematis are early flowering types that flower on previous seasons growth. They include Clematis montana, C.macropetala C.armandii, C.Alpina and C.cirrhosa. All group one Clematis require minimal pruning and do not respond well to regularly savagery.
Cut back shoots that have grown too long, frost damaged and congested growth immediately after flowering. Really severe pruning can kill plants, I once managed to kill a specimen of Clematis montana by hard pruning but I was following my client's precise instructions! The sweetly scented Clematis armandii should never be hard pruned as it seldom recovers. Just remove frost damaged growths unless the plant needs reduction. If a really overgrown plant needs renovation, it may be worth doing this over two or three years taken out a selection of stems close to the base.
Newly planted specimens should be pruned back hard to encourage a framework of new shoots to create a balanced effect.
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