Is my clematis dead?

[salander]

We moved into our house in July last year having viewed it spring when this amazing clematis was flowering all over the garage roof. Cut to this year - and so far worryingly little has happened to it. There are some feeble looking leaves and a few buds but it looks really unhealthy. it is massively overgrown - should we have pruned it in autumn? We are a bit clueless about these things. Am worried the dreadful winter has taken it off. Is there anything to be done? Tia.

if it is huge, it probably isn't a prune it every year type. if it has a few buds that is good. but they are temperamental buggers have you disturbed the roots or planted anything new near it?

No not at all actually. Just left it well alone as too big for us to manage really. Glad to hear they are temperamental! Will wait and see......

Clematis are funny things! I hacked my two back to 5cm stumps (probably not at the correct time of year and thought I had killed them!) and the follwing spring/summer they filled a whole climber frames and flowered beautifully! The lady along the road who wins county awards for her stunning garden cannot seem too grow impressive clematis...despite trying ever year ..

is it a Montana? leave it now- if you prune, do so in Feb witha severe chop back - you can go to a foot os so- but it may well surprise you yet.
if you break a stalk- choose a big one- and it is green inside- it's alive- if it is dry and brown then it may have died.