My Snow Queen clematis, which is planted in the ground, has managed to survive being buried in sawdust from a tree that was removed 2 years ago, and some sort of horrible wilt after a freeze last year (even though I carefully covered it with an old sheet). This year despite some very cold hard-freeze frosty weather that came after its first leaves were greening out, I left it completely alone - didn't cover it, didn't touch it. It did not freeze; it is sending up new growth on old wood, sending up some completely new shoots, and even has two flower buds.

My Asao clematis, which is planted in a container, got forgotten outdoors 2 years ago and wintered next to the garage but otherwise unprotected - and bloomed madly and joyfully last year. Somehow its soil level has diminished to about half the pot size, so I protected it with straw this winter - but still left it outdoors since it responded so well to this - and despite my having caught a squirrel digging in the straw, it is again covered in masses of buds. I didn't prune it at all.

This all sounds like wonderful news - and it is - but you see, the thing is, I was kind of wanting that Asao to go into the ground and wander up a support into the sweetgum tree. And I am terrified of touching it! It really at the very least ought to have more soil in its pot - if I just leave it in the pot, can I gradually add more soil - and if so, can I eventually cover the stems up over the bottom set of leaves ... or will I actually have to remove the whole thing from the pot and put in more soil at the bottom of the pot? At what time of year should I do this, if I have to "repot" it into the same pot? Will it live for years and years in a container without ever being planted in the ground?

Then, the Snow Queen ... it's been through so much that it always seems like a miracle when any growth happens - and this year it is seriously considering blooming - and I'm afraid to do anything at all to it. I don't know if it wilted last year due to too much water, or not enough - or if I looked at it funny and it just turned black. Did my gentle encouragement for it to go up (regular cotton mending) thread and onto its metal trellis hurt it somehow? (I mean, really very gentle, just leaning the little twining tendrils against the string, NOT wrapping string around the vine.) Should I literally not touch it at all?

I really want both of these to survive and thrive, and I'm quite nervous about doing anything since it seems that doing nothing has given the best results.

Thanks for any advice you might have.