This Horticulturist

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My Current USDA Plant Hardiness Zone (Kennett Square, PA)

Longwood Gardens!!!

6b: At least, thats what it looks like on the USDA zone map… haha. While I’m writing this I’ve only been in the area for about two weeks, so I’m still learning A LOT about it. All I know is that I absolutely love the plant selection here. Its just amazing what can grow in a 6b that can’t in a 5a (area I grew up is a 5a)! So its pretty exciting because I get to learn a lot of plants I didn’t already know. Granted, NYC is the same in terms of climate, but as planting space is limited.. you don’t always get to see many new and interesting plants there.

I’ll add more here once I feel like I’ve gotten to know the area better and feel confident to share info!

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My Last USDA Plant Hardiness Zone (NYC):

6B to 7A, theoretically. There are MANY micro climates in NYC, so I actually stick with plants that are best suited for 5a to 5b when making plant selections, as a general rule. (Every situation seems to be an exception.)

Another note about NYC. As you go up in floors, you drop in zones. Logically it makes sense, but its not something people always realize. A good formula to use is decrease 1 zone per 50 floors. Its somewhere between 20 and 25 floors where the half zone changes. It makes a huge difference with plant survival. But you also have to account for high winds, blazing sun or deep deep shade, and not to mention most plants are in planters, so they’re not well protected from crazy temperature changes . (the formula is what my firm has experimentally made a ‘norm’. The firm has been going rooftops and terraces in Manhattan for over 35 years, so they’ve had some time to double check… haha)

But I live on a second floor, so this doesn’t really apply to me and my terrace… er, fire escape.. haha.

USDA Plant Hardiness Zone of my hometown (where my horticulture heart still resides):

5a. Good ol’ Oswego, NY. Great little harbor town on Lake Ontario. Minus the 9 feet of snow we can sometimes get in a week, its a pretty great place to be. Well, it was a great place to grow up and develop a love of all things green. Even though it wasn’t green that often. Maybe that’s why I have such an addiction to things that photosynthesize. haha

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What? You want to know about “ME”? Not just my hardiness zone? Well okay then.

My name is Aubree Cherie, I’m 22, I was born and raised in upstate NY (just north of Syracuse), and am currently residing in NYC. I work for a company called Plant Specialists, LLC as a Landscape Designer. I aspire to be involved in Public Horticulture, preferably in a botanical garden.

This blog is a way for me to stay connected to the things that are really fun and important for me. Such as plants and all things related.

Thanks for stopping by! I hope you feel comfortable to leave comments too. Its always fun to exchange thoughts on horticulture. (Or whatever else I happen to be rambling about on this blog… haha)