A microclimate is a local zone where the climate differs from the surrounding area. Although this term may also be used to describe a larger area, such as a valley or part of a city, it can also be used to mean particular areas of your garden.

You will achieve much better results as a gardener if you take some time to understand the microclimate of your garden. This will mean that you can plan your planting design to exploit the natural conditions. For example, a south facing slope will warm up quickly in spring and become an ideal spot to raise early flowers or crops, whilst the ground near trees provide excellent conditions for shade-loving plants. In this way, each area of the garden may be exploited to provide conditions for a whole range of different plants.

Exploiting the Microclimate

A south facing wall is an ideal place to grow sun-loving species as the plant not only receives warmth and light from the sun, but also from the wall, which absorbs heat and releases it to the plant. This vastly improves the plant's flowering and fruiting display. A south facing wall will also allow you to grow tender species that may not survive elsewhere in the garden.

You may find that the sun in some areas of the garden falls awkwardly, and not onto the ground itself. You might be able to work around this by building a raised bed that will lift the level of the soil so that it hits the sun.

Shaded areas of the garden can provide a good growing environment for many plants, such as foxglove (Digitalis purpurea), primrose (Primula vulgaris) and snowdrop (Galanthus). Cool, shady areas may be found against north-facing walls, or warmer spots with more dappled shade may be found beneath tree canopies, large shrubs or hedges.

Trees and hedges may also be used to create a sheltered spot for plants that might otherwise suffer wind damage. Do bear in mind however, that windbreaks create other microclimate effects: plants growing close to the leeward side (the side that is sheltered from the wind) will not receive much rain, and may also be shaded from the sun.

Low-lying marshy areas and the edges of a pond or stream are perfect for growing moisture-loving plants that would not survive elsewhere in the garden, such as marsh marigolds (Caltha palustris) or the prehistoric-looking giant rhubarb (Gunnera mannicata).

You can also adapt your microclimate to give yourself more control over the elements by using cloches, cold frames or greenhouses, allowing you to protect tender plants until the weather in the outside garden is warm enough to support them.