IÂve just discovered the wonderful world of Clematis and want to get on board!

I have read many of the posts on this site and wanted some feed back and to confirm several things.

When you buy Clematis in anything smaller than a one gallon bucket, it needs to be repotted into a gallon bucket; nurtured through the summer, then planted in the fall (once the roots emerge from the bottom of the bucket) Many catalogue vendors are selling only 2-3" pots- will a 5" pot be big enough to plant directly?

How picky are clematis about soil? My soil has a lot of clay in it, so the beds have been dug out to 18" deep and back filled with topsoil and compost.

Do all Clematis require moist conditions? Are there any that prefer a drier/hotter climate?

Which species are more susceptible to their color fading in the sun?

Will Clematis grow into a shaded area? My front porch has a deep overhang that shades the entire upper portion. Any hanging baskets I put up have to have shade plants only in them. I could run a net or trellis at the railing height for the Clematis for horizontal growth which would get more sun.

I was considering Ville de Lyon and Venosa Violecea in the front of the house (south facing sunny until 3pm) and Kilian Donahue & Crystal Fountain on the west side of the garage (afternoon/evening sun). All are group 2/3 so pruning wonÂt be an issue. The Kilian Donahue is a bit iffy to find, so I may substitute another pink variety, perhaps Asao.

I'd be happy to take any feedback or comments....

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Front Yard- photo was taken at :00pm in June-note the shade creeping in.

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Back Yard- trellis on west side of garage