Flower color varies from white, pink, purple to deep red on different plants. It usually is found with blue flowers, but some cultivars have a bluish-violet to violet flower color. The plants are usually cut back in late winter or early spring. Flowers are then produced on the current season's growth. It is often a good idea to cut it back to the ground in early spring.
Female plants bear interesting fluffy seed heads well into the winter.
This clematis needs to be cut back to the ground each year to help maintain the shape of the plant. Although this growing season has been rather difficult to keep trees and shrubs alive, do not get discouraged. Fall is traditionally the time of year to put in new plant material, and I do not think this year should be any different. Consider replacing those plants that do not survive the drought, or include some of these plants to the existing landscape. Either way, they will add color and interest all the way up to the first frost.