I've recently fallen in love with gardening, particularly with flowers, but living in a colder zone (5b with a last frost in mid-May) has been frustrating. There are so many beautiful flowers I can't access without a greenhouse or more space. I particularly yearn for a gardenia, but it's simply not viable in my climate. I'm curious if there are folks in warmer zones (7 and above) who feel the same way about wanting cooler climate plants. Is this problem unique to those of us in colder areas?
4 Answers
Blueberries and tart cherries are at the top of my wish list! I just want to bake some fresh pies! They’re hard to grow here, but I’ve heard they do really well in colder climates. If only I could enjoy them without all this hassle!
You might find they do great in some warmer areas! I’m in zone 8 and blueberries thrive here.
I tried planting rhubarb in Texas a few times, but it just couldn't handle the heat. Now that I'm back in zone 5a, I'm thriving with my five rhubarb plants!
Absolutely! I missed rhubarb when I was in the south. So happy to have it back now!
Lilacs are definitely something I miss! They're such a classic flower and they grow beautifully in colder climates, but they just don’t thrive here in my warm zone.
I feel you! I came here to say the same thing. I really wish I could grow lilacs again.
Growing conditions are really tricky here, even in zone 7a, due to temperature swings. I've attempted to grow broccoli and similar crops, but my winters can be so inconsistent that they always end up struggling. It’s frustrating when your growing season should be longer, but unexpected frosts mess everything up.
Wow, I didn’t know blueberries struggled in warmer climates! They’re so easy to grow around here!