By Arbuthnot
Buckinghamshire,
United Kingdom 
My three year old clematis Montana is still a collection of brown stems. The tiny new shoots look grey and dry. Is it too early or has it bitten the dust? It's done well since I planted it but not this year.
30 Mar, 2017
Answers
Hi
Did it all look ok last year ?
I had a montana die year before just after it flowered covering 3 trellis panels ? why I do not know.
Still time for it to produce fresh shoots, I would leave alone for now ...
30 Mar, 2017
mine is almost at the bud opening stage. scrape back a little bit of bark and if it is green underneath it is alive if brown then dead. I'd leave it and water well and see if it shoots from the base. It doesn't sound too hopeful.
30 Mar, 2017
I've tried scraping the bark but it's too woody, Seaburn. I tried in various places and I even nipped a small twig off it but there doesn't appear to be any green whatsoever.
It flowered beautifully last year. I fed it in early Feb, as I do all the clems and the others are flourishing. I do hope it's not a goner.
Looks like another trip to the nursery to buy a new one.
31 Mar, 2017
A photo would help. If you have new shoots it does not sound as if it is dead.
30 Mar, 2017