Plants and Planting

• There are 11 zones of hardiness based on average winter lows
• Zone 1 is the coldest and zone 11 is the warmest
• Microclimate refers to the climate of an area where sunlight, moisture, and wind can carry from surrounding areas
• Exposure refers to the conditions to which plants may be exposed in different areas of a site
• Functional considerations of plants include shade, screens, barriers, windbreaks, sound barriers, accent, water filtration, hedges, erosion control, and provide food for wildlife
• Xeriscape is a water-efficient landscape
• Physical properties to consider include size at maturity, shape, foliage, color, flowers, fruit, and thorns