How to prune clematis 'rebecca'

Late winter (February–March); deadhead or lightly cut back after first flush (late spring). Remove dead or damaged stems at ground level. Shorten remaining stems to the highest healthy bud pair — often just 30–60 cm of shortening. After first bloom, cut spent stems back by about one-third to encourage new growth for the late-summer repeat.

Annually (late-winter tidy + post-first-flush trim). Yes, lightly — 'Rebecca' is a Group 2 large-flowered clematis that produces early blooms on old wood. Hard pruning destroys the first flush. In late winter, remove only dead and weak stems and trim healthy stems back to the topmost strong bud pair. After the first flowering in late spring, cut flowered stems back by a third to promote the second flush.

Remove dead or damaged stems at ground level. Shorten remaining stems to the highest healthy bud pair — often just 30–60 cm of shortening. After first bloom, cut spent stems back by about one-third to encourage new growth for the late-summer repeat.