Microclimates

Within each garden site there may be different MICROCLIMATES due to exposure, soil conditions, and nearby plants. Some plants, such as broadleaf evergreens, are particularly sensitive to temperature or drying winter winds. Examples of protected sites include those bordered by walls, buildings, or evergreen screens, and those where the ground changes slope. These sites offer plants protection from full exposure to harsh weather conditions. FROST POCKETS are another example of the differences created by microclimates. Weather conditions are often quite different in large cities compared to the surrounding countryside. Large expanses of heat-absorbing and heat-retaining pavement and the effects of large buildings cause these differences.