While on the topic of cataclysm , hoards of invading beetles , and the whole 2012 thing , I might as well end the month with climate change fear . Last hebdomad , the USDA update its hardiness zone map for the US , and there were some significant surprisal – yes , the administration has mouth , and yes , it ’s warmer – just a little , almost everywhere . It does support that we are experiencing milder winters in most areas , especially in New England where I live , this January marks the 9th calendar month in a row where our temperatures have average above normal , this month , by as much as 6 degrees .
It does n’t mean that we will be replanting our garden with palm trees , but I have noticed that this is one winter where I have had something in bloom every month . Our snowdrops are in bloom right now , and the witch hazels are just opening , a good 3 month originally than last year , but then again , last twelvemonth our winter was the speculative in recorded story , so who really knows what is bechance ?
The new Plant Hardiness Map however is very telling , and you really should go call the USDA site and give it a rill – you could view zones at detail , even just your county . I was surprised to see that even though I am now listed in geographical zone 6 , that our property is in a sack of zone 5b ( we were zona 5 before the revised map ) . This explains why many zona 6 plants are survive in our garden . you could find the new maphere . For the first fourth dimension , the function is available as an interactive GIS - base map , for which a broadband Internet association is recommended . user may plainly type in a ZIP Code , and find the hardiness zona for that surface area . No printed poster will be available this year , but high resolution range of a function of the map can be download and printed in a variety of sizes .
If you are an experienced gardener , you make love all about micro climate , those minuscule secret gratifying - spots in your garden where certain micro conditions subsist where plants in a zone or two high , can hold up . I have a few such spot , the raised bed next to the glasshouse cornerstone , which drain well , yet remains covered with C. P. Snow in most winters , carry a universe of zone 7 Zauchneria and Nerine bowdenii . A sandlike dry bed in front of the studio that becomes damp in spring , but then dry out all summertime long , keep a collection of Juno Irises and South African bulbs that are clearly zone 8 . A few pocket where I supervene upon grime with gravel and rough-cut sand in the sunniest layer in the front yard , has successfully keep zone 7 plant of Agapanthus ‘ violent storm Cloud ’ and Eremurus alive and blooming for 7 years now .
Look for seasonally dry , or wintertime wry area , bed that are near foundations in full wintertime sun that never freeze , or areas where wintertime Baron Snow of Leicester are often deep , and try some plants that are a few zone higher than you have try before , and see what materialize .
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