here's Avant Garde, all I did was search for images. :)

Here is a link that might be useful: clicky Avant Garde

Avant Garde has very small leaves compared to group II Clematis. I do not think Josephine's foliage is significantly different from others.

Thanks for the link for Avant Garde. I did do an image search but that one didn't come up. All that came up were just the flower photos.

Here is the foliage for Josephine. Does this look right?
{{gwi:609810}}

{{gwi:609811}}

Julia

It wouldn't let me post a link for Josphine, hopefully someone who grows them can tell you. I just absolutely love the Avant Garde, eventually I hope to get one. :)

~Tina Marie

Looks normal to me.

Others I got are actually vines after being here for several months (except Pink Fantasy which is dead). This one in particular looks like a stump. Is Josephine always suppose to look like this?

Julia

Looks to me like it was pinched back is all. I could be wrong, but that's what it looks like. Brand new growth, was this from in a nursery purchase?

~Tina Marie

Don't give up on Pink Fantasy as it may not be dead. Often first year vines will die back and may or may not resprout the first season, but may come back next year.

Different clematis take different amounts of time to get established, for some 3 or 4 (even 5) years. More than most plants, clematis take patience, so I put a short bamboo stake where I've planted each one so that if it does die back, I know where it was and can keep an eye out for resprouting. I don't grow Josephine or AG, but I would expect that Josie is just working on her roots and will be a bit bigger next year and have more foliage. Type 3s like Huldine and Blue Angel tend to be more vigorous as new plants and won't be likely to die back. They will have more vines and usually flower sooner in my experience.

Tina Marie: I got all but one clematis this year from Bluestone Perennials. I purchased 7 from them in May but 1 was back ordered when the package came so I decided to just go and look somewhere else for Huldine. I did receive Avant Garden, Josephine,Multiblue,Blue Angel, Rebecca and Pink Fantasy.
I've contacted BP to see if they have any insight into Pink Fantasy. I would not have expected it to die off this soon.
Will keep an eye on stumpy Jospehine.
Thank you all for the help.

Julia

Avant Garde is one of my favorites, don't lose hope on your clems. Just like nhbabs said, I did tons of reading prior to even purchasing the only clem I have. Heh Didn't want any surprises! :D

Good luck with your clems, sit back and read through all the fun posts from everyone, you'll find lots and lots of information about various clems. :)

~Tina Marie

Make Bluestone replace or credit you for Pink Fantasy.

My last order from them included a very dead Hydrangea.

Others on the Perennials forum had similar problems.

That Josephine is a perfectly normal baby Clematis.