My son spent 6 months in Calgary as a uni student. Lovely sun and no wind. When he got home (in winter) one day out in the sun and he was sunburnt!) So I agree. Angela Albany South Western Western Australia ----- Original Message ----- From: Jamie <Jamievande@freenet.de> To: <totototo@telus.net>; Pacific Bulb Society <pbs@lists.ibiblio.org> Sent: Friday, October 28, 2005 3:49 PM Subject: Re: [pbs] Climate Zones. > Ahh, Roger, > > hard but true words! We are always seeking a simple solution to the > complexities of life. I didn't realize that the Arnold Arboretum (a truly > wonderful place to visit!) was behind the original Zones. > > Another factor we often forget, along with percipitation, is the strength of > the sun. As far north as I garden, despite being a technical Zone 8, much > like Vancouver, we are at the latitude of Calgary! Due to the mild climate, > we only have about 2 weeks of hard frost, somethimes less, very wet Winters > and very dark ones as well! Many South Africans grow happily, but do not > bloom due to the lack of sun energy. > > In the end, Zones are nothing but a guideline and one must not only know his > local conditions, but understand them as well! > > Jamie Vande > Cologne > Germany > > where the six-pack never caught on (we buy it by the 24 bottle case!) > > ----- Original Message ----- > From: "Rodger Whitlock" <totototo@telus.net> > To: <pbs@lists.ibiblio.org> > Sent: Friday, October 28, 2005 7:05 AM > Subject: Re: [pbs] Climate Zones. > > > > On 27 Oct 05 at 17:23, Lee Poulsen wrote: > > > > > ...I have to hand it to the USDA for thinking of the single > > > best parameter to use in creating the first Zone map and then > > > making the map and seeing what the result was. > > > > The USDA zones were devised strictly, solely to gauge > > hardiness of woody material: trees and shrubs. That's all. They > > simply aren't applicable to other categories. IIRC, they were > > invented at the Arnold Arboretum. Presumably they work not too > > badly for their intended purpose -- in eastern North America, > > that is! > > > > In particular, the hardiness of bulbs and perennials depends > > on many other factors than just winter lows. > > > > And the hardiness zones are of very dubious worth in other > > parts of the planet. They only keep going because Joe Sixpack > > likes things reduced to a single number, no matter how > > misleading it may be. > > > > > > -- > > Rodger Whitlock > > Victoria, British Columbia, Canada > > Maritime Zone 8, a cool Mediterranean climate > > > > on beautiful Vancouver Island > > _______________________________________________ > > pbs mailing list > > pbs@lists.ibiblio.org > > http://www.pacificbulbsociety.org/list.php > > > > _______________________________________________ > pbs mailing list > pbs@lists.ibiblio.org > http://www.pacificbulbsociety.org/list.php >