Green Mountain Gardener

Creating a garden in zone 4 can at times bring me to my knees as I am perpetually falling in love with new and amazing plants.  As I come across something that catches my eye, I read all of the information given on that particular species, which generally makes me long for it even more.  I hold my breath with a silent plea as I search for the hardiness zone that I intentionally left unread until the very end.  More often than not, I find a listing for zone 7 or 8 – and succumb to the fact that it is just not destined to reside here.  The things that I find I just can’t possibly do without, such as the sculptural leaves of Agave, or the dusky flowers of Agapanthus, (whose name translates to “love” and “a flower”) I plant in pots, and the need for more pots and more winter plant lighting seems to be gradually increasing.  On a recent visit to Teza’s Garden, I found a lovely post by Teza & Friends Garden Forum regarding zonal denial.  As I began typing out my response, I found it was quickly becoming rather long-winded and decided to respond with a post of my own.

Zonal denial is defined as attempts to grow plants which are normally limited to milder winter hardiness zones.  As our gardening palettes grow, and we become more enthusiastic gardeners, desirable and “must-have” plants begin to become an obsession.  After moving to Vermont from the Pacific Northwest and obtaining my empty landscape, I began to dream about the amazing plants and trees that would be filling it.  As I set out to begin planting my garden, I paid particular attention to plant labels listing a plant as hardy to zone 4.  I dreamt of plants and trees listed as hardy to zone 5 or even 6, but did not give them much more than a meaningful and wistful glance, figuring that they would never survive my climatically challenged garden.  As I read various gardening books and resources hungry to learn anything and everything to do with gardening, I discovered that the hardiness maps are not set in stone, but merely a guide.  There are many other variables such as micro climates, soil quality, drainage, mulch, and winter protection all of which would help me in pushing my zone to new heights.  Although winters in Vermont are undeniably cold, there is reliable snow cover that insulates the ground protecting the roots and crowns of plants.  I have posted before about my faithful use of a product called Wilt-Pruf that is sprayed on evergreens to prevent windburn and winter kill.  It works by keeping moisture in the leaves.  It is a wonderful product, and one that is totally organic and biodegradable.  It is best applied after the first hard frost, when moisture has retreated to the plant’s root system.  And best of all, if you are a complete procrastinator, as is the case for me this winter, you can also apply it during the January Thaw.

When we discovered our property, it seemed to us nearly perfect as it is situated on the top of a ridge and tucked into many surrounding trees.  The only thing I could find that we were lacking was a fabulous view.  I later learned that this would prove to be beneficial because without a view, we get very little wind which is certainly an enemy to hardiness.  I am convinced that the surrounding trees provide us with our own micro climate of zone 5, as frost happens later for us than for those living at the bottom of the ridge, and while it is snowing here, there is nothing happening just a few short miles from us. And, while there are certainly times that I balk at the biting and bitter cold winter days, our climate does afford us opportunities to grow some amazing plants such as Meconopsis betonicifolia, or Blue Himalayan Poppy, and Cypripedium, or Ladyslipper Orchids.

Soon after we purchased our property, I found myself with ornamental grasses on my mind and paid visit to a couple of local nurseries.  I found myself heartbroken after visiting the first when the employee offered to go out back and get their grass expert, who then came to me with a pot of blue fescue and informed me that this is the only grass that is hardy in Vermont.  (How can you be a grass expert if you only sell one type of grass?)  Thankfully, I wasn’t about to take her advice whole-heartedly.  She could very well have been educated on a variety of grasses, but I think her zoning information was a bit batty.

So, I will continue with my wish list containing dreams of Japanese Maples, Magnolias and Witch Hazels, some of which I hope to plant this spring.  And, I will continue to take delight in my window shopping of magnificent mail order nurseries such as Seneca Hills Nursery, located in upstate New York.  They are certainly not shy when it comes to pushing the zone.  As is stated on their website:  ”A good gardener experiments.  A good gardener kills a lot of plants.”