I would not prune the 2's, you will lose the first flush of flowers. You can prune them after the first flush has faded to clean up the plants a little.

How much growth do the groups 3's have? It's still pretty early in the season. Cutting them back now might delay flowering a little, but it would be nicer than having scraggly plants.

Amazingly, I see growth on the viticella Venosa violacea, full of buds, as high as about 5-6', the rest of the group III's are 1' (x diversifolia 'Olgae') to 4' The group II, Mrs. N. Thompson, is about 2' It's very early, but the plants got tricked into thinking it was later in the season with many days being in the 60's to low 70's to almost 80 a couple days. The weather has had extremes and we had snow last weekend & a little bit today with temps down to freezing. The plants are all confused as to what they should be doing.

Wow, what has begun flowering for you now in zone 5? My suggestion would be to allow the one flowering to flower but don't be surprised if it gets cut back by a late frost. Cut the type IIIs back now as they will regrow when the weather is more hospitable. I know what you mean about the plants being confused. I have quite a few up and growing like gangbusters and we are forecast to have below freezing temps midweek. I don't understand why everyone is so eager to have things up and growing when the chance of the plants being frozen back is still present even for us in NC.

We aren't eager, it's just happening. I even have color in some hybrid peony buds. This to Miquel.

Flowergirl, for the record, the name is Miguel and not Miquel. If you wish to direct something to me, please at least use my correct name since you seem to know so much about me!

Secondly, there are plenty of posters who post here who are concerned that their clematis are not yet showing any sign of life. That is what my comment was directed at. Early growth of any plant at this time of year is open to late frosts so I personally would rather have things wait and come up at a time when we wouldn't have to worry about frosts nipping them in the bud and setting them back. I remember all too well the Easter weekend freeze of two years back when the weather warmed up, things came out early and then froze back in the 20 degree weather.

Sorry I didn't get your name spelled right, I certainly didn't mean to offend anyone here. Maybe it would be a good idea for me to just read the posts and not comment at all.