zone maps

2012 Zone Hardiness Map

Every few years the US Department of Agriculture revises their Plant Hardiness Zone maps. The maps are an invaluable resource to gardeners and nurseries, and are a reliable guide for understanding what plants are able to overwinter in a particular area of the country. Its folly to attempt to create a garden of plants that won't thrive in your neighborhood. The maps are revised, and provide anecdotal evidence to non-believers, that winter temperatures in the US are on the rise.

When I began gardening in the early 90's all of Missouri was situated in USDA Zone 5, which meant that winter low temperatures would hit -10 degree Fahrenheit (-23 C). Today, the same garden sits in Zone 6, with winter low temps 5-10 degree warmer. Since the 1990's map, zone changes have inched northwards 10 miles per year.

I have always wanted a southern garden but I like it here and and am unwilling to move. However, if the current rate of change continues, the Fashionista can spend her dotage with a New Orleans garden without having to leave home.

The Arbor Day Foundation has a wonderful interactive map demonstrating the changes here.

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Best Map in the US

I've written several times about my fascination with maps, I find them endlessly entertaining.

Put 2 boys who like maps together, mix in beer and soon they'll form a map club. After a while they'll find another few wayward souls and get them to join, soon thereafter a girl or two will show up, just to make sure the rent money isn't blown on something she finds useless, like antique maps. Since boys like to show off, conventions of map stuff aren't far off. That may or not be how the Cartography and Geographic Information Society was formed, but it wouldn't be a bad bet, especially if the earliest members were teachers.

The Society held its annual convention last December and the map above "The Essential Geography of the United States of America" won the award for Best In Show. Created by David Imus who spent some 6,000 hours laboring to get everything correct, the Essential Geography, is the only true map of US geography.

Copies of David's US map and other more specific maps he has created are available for sale here.


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