Planting and caring for your garden is a lot of work and depending on the type of garden you have, it can be expensive too. You don’t want plant trees and perennials that won’t make it through the winter, so it’s essential that you know your planting zone, especially if you live at higher altitudes. A quick note that while hardiness maps are generally reliable, new record low and record high temperatures are established all the time. Climate change is exacerbating this effect so as a general rule, it’s better to plant perennials and trees that can withstand at least 5-10 degrees more or less than your zone dictates.

Link to the USDA’s interactive plant hardiness zone map: https://planthardiness.ars.usda.gov/PHZMWeb/InteractiveMap.aspx

It’s also important to remember that some parts of the Rocky Mountain region can experience extended periods of drought over the winter months (especially between September-December). When we stop watering and turn off sprinkler systems, we need to still be observing precipitation patterns and water occasionally. This is especially important for new trees and perennials since their roots are not yet established.