Clematis - how to grow successfully?

Every clematis I've grown has been am impulse buy and I haven't taken a great deal of care about their planting etc. I am about to recycle the old trellis and make an arbour and really fancy growing a couple of special clematis over it, so this time I will do the right thing and prepare the bed and look after it. So, before I buy, please tell me what they require, Acid? blood and bone? lots of water,, what. Would it be appropriate to mix colours and grow say two each side of an arbour 1.5 metres straddling a path. I want a big splash of colour as part of the fairy garden. Does that make sense. Main thing is what conditions they need. I know they grow well in Tassie cold because there is a magic Clematis nursery at Sheffield which is brass monkey country but that's about all I know.

all I know is that they like their roots cool and their heads in the sun, but that has not enabled me to grow one successfully yet

We planet two (2) early in the year mauve in colour and they flowered beautyful until one sadly died. the other one is still alive but is loosing all the leaves, don't know if that is normal or not. On the label it said sunny to part shade, moderate water, well drained. Keep moist in hot and dry weather. Feed forthnightly with all purpose fertilizer or tomatoe and vegetable fertilizer from onset of growth in spring .
Don't know i f thats any help.
There was a lovely display of clematis in flower at the Deloraine show last November.
greetings from Ruth

Many clematis will die back in winter and reshoot in spring. for best regrowth there are recommendations on how to prune but unless someone else here knows you will have to look it up because I can't remember. Something about how many buds up the vine you prune for best effect.

I have two clematis in the garden. They are along the fence on a raised bed due to it being poorly drained area at the time, which I have since corrected. All I do is put a bit of good compost on the bed in the Fall, and have the roots covered at all times with mulch. They don't flower for a long period about three weeks is usual. I like them for the specular show in the Spring or early Summer. Pruning is simply cutting about a third of the vegetation from the top in late Winter or early Spring, mostly to keep the plant in control. Here is my experience.

http://www.durgan.org/ShortURL/?DLGFH 17 June 2008 Clematis 'Multi Blue'
This is an early season clematis bloomer.

Clematis (Niobe)
http://www.durgan.org/ShortURL/?AGALV 22 June 2008 Clematis ‘Niobe’, Jackmanii x group.
This is the fourth year. I prune a bit off the top each Spring and let the plant do its thing.