I could only really skim this but a couple things just to mind: 1) you really, really must prevent rabbits from eating new growth of things and 2) "monthly" fertilization strikes me as too often for anything but vegetables and I guess annuals or a handful of 'temperennials' like Brugsmansia that are porky pigs of the plant world. If I planted a Clem, and I've planted a few, I wouldn't even fert. the first year - although I might give it a LITTLE bit in the hole, but only if I didn't see fert. beads in the potting mix used by the nursery. The I would only lightly fertilize the 2nd year, once. And that should be spread around maybe 2' diameter of the planting area...you want to encourage the root system to expand. Not just dump it at the based of the vine. YMMV if you have sandy or rocky New England soil, but I have a clay loam that retains nutrients quite well.

You can see how I use a variety of materials to protect new plants from the lop eared rats: https://www.houzz.com/discussions/6111092/a-little-out-and-about-sam-style-and-a-visit-to-my-garden

once something has been established for a couple years I know it will be able to recover from a mauling, but I don't assume that about new things.

Clematis, especially those included in pruning group 2 (large flowered hybrids), can often disappear for a season or two. And the reasons can be varied - improper planting, failure to prune back hard the first couple of seasons, lax aftercare, stem damage, wilt in both its forms, etc. I treat as normal and they typically will respond the next growing season, if not sooner.

As long as the plant was neither overwatered/has poor drainage or allowed to dry excessively then IME it will come back.

I also agree with david's comments to protect the vine from predators. And no more monthly feedings! I don't even fertilize my containerized clems that often :-)

with your garden.. and your experience level.. im surprised you took the time to type this all out.. instead of just gently digging it up.. and finding out whats going on underground ...

it ought to be rather easy to find out if you have a viable live root mass .. and if so.. shove it back in ... or pot it until the more forgiving fall planting period ...

ken

Thank you, everyone. I was hoping for some reassurance and I got it from you. I see life in Tie Dye and just haven't gotten around to poking at the NOID dlem. There isn't a "live" person in the vicinity I can share my gardening anxieties with so I appreciate being able to (sometimes verbosely) just put them out there to experienced people.

Sometimes putting in writing clears my head and I can take action. That happened a couple of years ago when the garden was overwhelmed with weeds (and I was overwhelmed with it) and I wrote about here here- just asked for encouragement. People responded and it made a difference. Actually, I got out there and weeded for a few hours before getting the first responses. I just needed a garden enema.

Or maybe anti-acid along the lines of "pop pop fizz fizz, oh what a relief it is!" .... along the lines of an intensely (funny) rant about slugs.

I hope they come up this year, Marie. I had a Duchess of Edinburgh clematis look dead this Spring and a just found pink buds lower down. Good luck!