I have two Clematis ‘Ville de Lyon’ in my front yard next to a little arbor entrance to the backyard. I think I planted them two years ago. Last year, I was disappointed to not see much growth from them. I worried that they might not have survived the winter, since they were weak last year. But they are now sending green shoots up, and I’m very happy. I’m still not sure they’re healthy, and I wonder if they don’t compete very well with the tree roots around them. One is next to a birch, and the other is pretty close to a Koelreuteria (Golden Rain) tree. I think the birch clump has a very invasive root system, since other flowers have not survived under it (although some foxgloves finally took hold last year).

Anyway, I need to remember that the Ville de Lyon Clematis is in “pruning group 3″ which means I should cut them back to 6-8” from the ground or above a pair of good buds early in the spring (around now). I need to do that soon, but the weather has gotten cold again this week, so I might wait.