Thank you so much for all of the information! I'm so looking forward to planting and to springtime!

I am hoping to train it to climb up the columns on my front porch, and the bag I bought has 4 clematis bulbs. Will one bulb suffice? I can't gauge how large or how high it will grow. Sorry if this is a silly question!

They are NOT bulbs :-) You most likely have a bare root start. These tend to be pretty small and vulnerable and most clematis growers will nurture them along for at least a season in a container before planting out in the garden.

Miss Bateman is not a big vine....maybe 8' or so at maturity. Not sure how big your columns are but for a very full look, you might want to plant two on each. And be sure to provide something for the vines to grow on - they need something skinny to grasp so wire or nylon netting or a thin metal trellis will help.

! I haven't opened the package yet, so when I saw the "4," I assumed they were bulbs . . . So do you recommend planting in a container this year and waiting until next year to plant in the ground?

Yes, although depending on how you care for them and how they do this summer, you can probably plant them in the ground this fall.

Thank you

In my zone, I plant the majority of my clematis in the ground in September or early October. The soil is still warm, which is good for root growth, but the air is cooler and days shorter, so a bit less stressful for the plant. I wasn't happy with vines on netting - I have found that it's easier with something with stiff structure such as wire grid or a narrow-barred trellis.

How long since you bought them? You need to open the package asap and plant the roots. They are not like bulbs, you can't keep them stored dry. Even if you are just potting them up temporarily get them into some soil and let them breathe.