Microclimates in My Garden

A microclimate is a small but distinctly different climate within a larger area. Here in my area of Utah there used to be many fruit farms. The farmers planted the trees on the foothills where it was a little warmer. Cold would puddle in the lower valley and often the blossoms would freeze there while those higher in the valley would survive. I see some differences in my own garden.

I grow Hosta montana 'Aureomarginata' in several places in my garden. It is one of the earliest Hostas to emerge in the spring and sometimes suffers frost damage. I grow one plant on the east side of my home in a bed between the house and a cement driveway. It is warmer there and montana starts to grow 2-3 weeks sooner than a plant of the same variety on the north end of the house.
H montana 'Aureomarginata'

A more obvious example is a warmer bed on the south side of my house. I planted iris seedlings there in spring of 2011 and they bloomed in 2012 about 3 weeks sooner than the iris in open beds.
Seedlings

A seedling I saved.

Microclimates in My Garden

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