Plant hardiness zones are useful as a guide but do not replace a good gardener's common sense. As Alf says "It's not just the cold that plants suffer from."

The chemical balance and textural consistancy of the soil, exposure, rainfall, humidity, light levels and wind will all play their parts.

Plants usually survive cold better in a drier situation than a wet one, deciduous plants fare better in in more exposed situations, especially in areas with higher summer temperatures, evergreens prefer a more sheltered position, more humidity and cooler summers.

Its not just the cold that plants suffer from !



Wind can damage plants not just by breaking branches or uprooting trees but also wind chill, increased leaf transpiration (water loss), industrial pollutants or sea salt carried by the wind, drying of the soil and by preventing beneficial insects from doing their work.

Tall plant's roots can also be damaged, restricting the water intake).

Sheltering your tender plants from the wind is always a good idea and hardy hedges are good for this. It has been found that the best windbreaks have about 50% permeability.

If you use a wall for protection remember that there will be turbulance downwind (although this may be significantly reduced by some kind of baffle) and that the side of a wall facing the sun will act as a heat trap.