Hi Sheri,
I haven't ordered from Brushwood before. I certainly won't if they send poor plants. Three 2" long roots? That sounds like a newly rooted cutting, not an established plant. Clematis should be at least in their second year before being sold.
It's sad that Joy Creek is no longer selling. It sounds like they sold wonderful Clematis plants.
I bought 2 Clematis 'Mrs. Robert Brydon' from Bluestone Perennials this spring. It's one of the non-vining, shrub-like ones. It produces clouds of feathery pale blue flowers in summer. It makes a pretty bouquet filler. I had a nice one which was accidentally sprayed with herbicide and died.
I was satisfied with the plants. Bluestone grows its perennials in 4" fiber pots that are plantable. So, there's no root disturbance, and they get established very fast.
They have a nice selection of Clematis. They seem a little expensive but I know they'll be healthy. I bought mine when they were having a sale.
Perhaps others on this forum know good specialists to buy from.
Pat
Edit: I should note, 'Mrs. Robert Brydon' grows about 4' tall here and is "bushy" but it does not have woody stems. It dies back to ground level for the winter here. Also, it is not self-supporting. I grow it next to other sturdy plants it can lean on. Such as my Chionanthus which is a small multi-trunked tree with bare stems below.
