It suffered some winter damage with the snow. I've had it a couple of years but I just didn't think to get the snow off of it this winter until it got all icy and the damage was done. If the dead, brown bits in the center are not enough, the whole thing got all spread apart. I'm not sure if I should rig it with rope to get it's main branches together again, or not.
I trim it fairly hard each summer right after it flowers, but it looks like I'd better do that a little harder this year to keep it as compact as possible.
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Well, I ended up tying it up with one of the kids' skipping ropes so I can do some weeding in behind it, move a hollyhock or two, and get an extended support system in place for the clematis that looks like it wants to venture out further. I'll leave the rope for a few weeks and see if the 3 main branches 'self-correct'. At least none of them snapped with the weight of the icy snowcap it wore this winter! I don't think I can go without its lovely blue flowers, so the pruning will have to wait until later. I'll know next snowfall to get out there and shake off the snow so I don't have this problem again.
okay I obviously don't know a thing about gardening....if I had that in my garden i would think I had a green thumb.......my entire garden is brown....whoops.....was I suppose to do something with all the flowers before the winter?..........I guess I should stick to planter boxes with mums in the spring and fall...and daisies and daffodils in the summer....that's about all I can manage...................
Can you not give it a good pruning down now? Before new growth starts? You might have to sacrifice the flowers to save the shape of the bush.