So you picked up a garden book or magazine and you see a picture much like these, and you start thinking, "Oh boy look at that vine on that
trellis! Can I grow that here? What about those marigolds?" I'd say you have indeed been bitten by the garden bug, so let's see how we can find out if that plant can be grown in a specific area.
First, I'd have to ask if you know your zone. The US is divided into several different zones. Climate, average temperatures, rainfall, the seasons, it all comes into play here. That's not to say that a plant that grows well in zone 7b won't do well in zone 8b. It might. There are several places to look up your zone. This is the one I use most often: https://www.plantmaps.com/ and it is so easy to use in a pinch. Just enter in your zip code and that's it. Sometimes when you read about a particular cultivar of a plant it will say something like, "grows in zones 6a to 9a." Still, it's not a guarantee that it will grow. It's just a statement that it could grow, and should be able to.
Next, if you have friends and neighbors near you who garden, talk to them. They can tell you what they have had success and failure with. And they won't mind telling you.
Visit parks and old cemeteries. These can give you an idea of what grows in your area.
Talk to your extension service. They can tell you if a cultivar grows well in your area or not.
Visit local garden centers. I'm not really talking about big box stores. They are beneficial but I've lost more blueberries that way. Again your local garden center cam tell you if it grows well in your area or not. Plus they are more likely to sell only what grows in your area. And here is an added bonus: they are more likely to sell locally grown plants. This is where I prefer to buy mine, but I will go to a box store in a pinch.
Well, I've had a long day so I'm going to close it up for the night. Happy Gardening!
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