By Avkq47
Worcestershire,
United Kingdom 
Hello all! I have a clematis armandii that took a huge battering with last year's minus 17c temperatures, and this year is more brown than green. I was hoping to get a flowering out of it before cutting it down and starting again this year. With the weather being so mild now but possible future frosts, when should I cut it down? Should I wait until march regardless of the weather?
10 Jan, 2012
Answers
As it flowers early, if there are any buds present, seems sensible to wait until its flowered before giving it a severe cutting back.
11 Jan, 2012
Thank you, Julien and Bamboo ... buds are few, very few! I will wait and see what happens in the spring then cut back hard.
11 Jan, 2012
Avkq47 - mine is exactly the same. Thought I'd lost it last year, cut it down, it grew back but now the leaves are brown. Must check for flower buds although it looks awful. On a south facing wall but wondering if its too windy for it.
11 Jan, 2012
Mine looks a bit sad but I'm going to wait until after flowering time to cut it back. Last year it suffered in the weather and I diddn't think the manky looking buds would bloom at all but it still managed to surprise me with some flowers although it was nothing like the usual show.
12 Jan, 2012
I can't see any buds on mine .... Not sure where they should be to be honest but I'll wait until April before I cut it down.
12 Jan, 2012
Had the same dillema last year with one, it looked completely gone due to the harsh weather we had, i gave this a drastic prune taking off all the dead foliage, this was carried out early April and has since responded well.Do you have any flower buds on yours?
11 Jan, 2012