Q.Clematis
Is our clematis dead or just “asleep” for the winter?! Planted in a deepish pot and trained up our garden arch last summer, it was romping away during summer/autumn. However, in winter and still now it appears dead – leaves brown & crumpled up (but still on) and stem also brown and no signs of green or budding. Do we assume it has died? If so, don’t know why it has! Sorry for simplicity of the question, but first time we’ve had one!
You probably have a Group 3 clematis variety, because these varieties die back in winter, even in regions with a warm winter. That's a good thing, because it allows those varieties to produce more flowers when they regrow. Your clematis should regrow in the spring. It's best to prune them in late winter or early spring as described here:
https://www.rhs.org.uk/advice/profile?PID=347
