Wow, I go away one day and lots of posts. Thanks for posting the photos! I've heard that clematis like cool or shaded feet. Planting a peony on the west side of a couple of my clematis may help them a lot. I would do that with a row (of clematis) I have planted against the south side of a building, but there is no room. I just try to keep those watered and rocks cover their roots.
