RE: "Zoneing" out

Craig, one of the things you'll learn is that every catalogue has you in a
slighly different zone.  Because I live in the Willamette Valley (a broad
valley area from Portland to somewhere south in Oregon), they lump me in
zone 7 or 8.  

Well my specific location is closer to the Columbia Gorge, where we get ice
storms and high winds in winter for weeks sometimes, with wind chill factors
below 0.  After experiences of losing lots of zone 7 or 8 plants, I have
counted myself a 6b for several years now.

Lo and behold!  The new Sunset Western book (the generic Bible of gardening
for this region) FINALLY in their sectioning up of the west has realized
this specific region is quite different and finally has us listed like a
6b/7a or something like that.

I only live about 15 miles from Portland, Oregon, but their roses, lilacs,
everything, open 3 weeks before mine, by my studying on the commute to and
from work every day (and believe me, there is plenty of time to study as it
takes me an hour each way with our lovely traffic).

You'll find your own "niche" for your garden soon.  You'll also realize you
have "microclimates" in your garden, places that are particularly warm, or
cold or dry.  I have a pie shaped area between two walls of the house where
the clothes dryer vents to.  I have a trachleosperum there (star jasmine is
common name, but it's not a jasmine at all) that is a zone 7/8 plant.  Mine
is 7 years old, because of the microclimate the protection of the two walls
and the dryer vent creates.  In really bad years I have lost up to 2/3 of
the plant to wind burn/cold, but it fully recovered in a year.

Like I said before, you'll never be bored learning all there is to learn!

Susan Saxton, zone 6b
For mine is a little old fashioned garden where the flowers come
together to praise the Lord and teach all who look upon them to do
likewise.
Celia Thaxter

I AM in shape.  ROUND is a shape!


> -----Original Message-----
> From: Craig.Wallace@emotors.com [C*@emotors.com]
> Sent: Thursday, May 13, 1999 4:54 AM
> To: perennials@mallorn.com
> Subject: RE: Perennial suggestions for Craig
> Importance: High
> 
> 
> Thanks, Lorraine.
> 
> You say you're in zone 8.  But where exactly are you?  
> Perhaps this is a
> topic that has been covered time and time again in the past with no
> resolution.  Maybe that's why I'm not getting any response to 
> my recent
> posting on heat zones.  Is there a difference in heat zones 
> and climate
> zones?  I just noticed last night (in yet another catalog) 
> that I'm suppose
> to be in climate zone 5 or 6 (can't remember exactly which 
> one).  I would
> like to know, for sure, exactly which is correct so I know when buying
> plants.
> 
> Thanks,
> Craig Wallace
> craig.wallace@emotors.com
> Brighton, Illinois
> heat zone 7
> 
> "I love spring anywhere, but if I could choose, I would 
> always greet it in a
> garden." -Ruth Stout
> 
> 
> > ----------
> > From: 	Lorraine Rumberg[SMTP:lrumberg@direct.ca]
> > Reply To: 	perennials@mallorn.com
> > Sent: 	Wednesday, May 12, 1999 8:32 AM
> > To: 	perennials@mallorn.com
> > Subject: 	Perennial suggestions for Craig
> > 
> > Craig,
> > i am zone 8, so did some checking on how my plants would do 
> in your zone
> > 5.
> > 
> > The romance garden I put in has to survive sun, as it is an 
> open bed at
> > the
> > entrance of our property.  
> > 
> > The cannas are started in pots indoors, and they love the 
> sun.  They're
> > stored in dry peat all winter, so should ork for you.  So 
> many colours,
> > heights, and leaf colours (variegated is something else in 
> a bed).  I
> > bought some from Rockwood mail order (the dreaded mailorder 
> house!), and
> > they all started beautifully in pots.
> > 
> > The daylilies grow well in part shade to blazing sun - I 
> have them all
> > over
> > my gardens.  And, they multiply like rabbits, keeping the 
> $$ down, and
> > providing plants to offer in exchange with friends.
> > 
> > The lavender loves sun and mediocre soil!   The phlox and 
> peonies would be
> > fine for you as well, and again, they multiply like crazy.
> > 
> > Good luck!
> > 
> > Lorraine
> > 
> > 
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