Becky...pruning it back will not hurt it..unfortuately what happens when the pruning group 3's AREN'T hardpruned each year they will not show viable leaf axils as you say on the lower 4 ft of the vine..I would hard prune down to about 1 foot from the soil and you'll see that vine rejuvenated like never before!!..It will shoot up tons of new vines and grow like mad...do remember to give it some rose or Tomato fertilizer when you prune and make a pact with yourself to hard prune it each and every late winter/early Spring...Jeanne

I have a Ville de Lyon which started blooming from around the beginning of April (we had an unusally warm spring) before I had a chance to hard prune it. Should I hard prune it after it finishes blooming. Clematis are addicting!!

Prune down to a foot as Jeanne says. Pruning does not hurt Clematis. Pruning helps them. Some need to be pruned this short every year to do their best and Jackmanii is one of them and so is Ville de Lyon.

Thanks for your replies. It is drizzly & cool here but I went out & pruned and fertilized right away. Now the hard part- waiting!
Thanks again
Becky

I have a Jackmani that has been stepped on and broken. It came back stronger. Then this year something ate it off to the ground. It came back and is growing strong. I'm amazed at Clematis toughness!