Hi Dee..and welcome to the forum...Lots of people including myself almost gave up on growing clematis because of my not knowing their needs(and not seeing them grown in Texas) ...I killed two thought I couldn't have these beauties in my gardens but now have tons and have been very successful in growing them. I started with the pruning group 3's and then the 2's..you probably had bareroots or you didn't plant them correctly or didn't kept them moist..not keeping them moist was my problem and my failure..
I live just North of Houston so our zones aren't that much different..pruning group 3's adore and can take alot of our sun...whereas the pruning group 2's seem to do better with 6+ hours of morning sun and shaded from our hot afternoons..I would recommend Donahue's and pruning group 2's....Jeanne

Here is a link that might be useful: Donahue's Clematis

I live in the Dallas Metroplex area and have successfully grown clematis - and am also quite smitten! The first clematis I obtained were the bare root type things you get in a box from Sam's. I planted all 5 of them under one trellis in early spring - probably overcrowded - but all came up - and have flourished over the last 5 years. I will say that the first year - there was very little - and I mean VERY LITTLE growth - and what little growth I saw died back over winter. The following Spring - Spring #2 - the plant took off and nearly covered the trellis - but producted few flowers - and then year three and on - most prolific - fast grower - and quite the showpiece of that area in my garden - I do very little pruning - even though it is one that I could prune - I just clean it up a bit to keep it from getting "leggy". The variety from Sam's was called "Violet Charm". I also have planted teeny tiny little distressed clematis that were on the nearly dead looking clearance rack from Lowes. They were 25 cents each - does that tell you how small and "dead". Every single one of them grew - but again - just about gave up on them 'til the second season and then - POW - they took off. I just stuck them in the grond - watered the spot that they were located and marked it so as not to dig up that area in case they made it. Can't even tell you for sure what the varieties were - because they were not all marked. I do know that I have a Nelly Mosier (sp) and a Jumanjii (sp?) and a very prolific - yet smaller flowered clematis called Sweet Autumn. I use the rule I was told - Cleamtis like their heads in the sun and feet in the shade. For me - the shade is mulch - at least in most cases.... except my first ones (Sam's) - where I have some chartreuse colored coral bells surrounding the base of the trellis.

Good luck! and don't give up!