Knowing your hardiness zone is very useful when planning your garden to ensure a higher growth and survival rate. This map was designed in the United States to assist gardeners and landscapers and is divided into 13 zones including Puerto Rico. The map uses 10° F ranges based off data from the last 30yrs to determine the zones. It's based off of an average of extreme temperatures in your area. If you live in the United States the site to check your zone is:
If you live outside of the US, research the hardiness zone in your area.
The Hardiness Zone map is just a tool, and as in using any tool it's not 100%. There are other factors to consider when planning your garden such as light, soil moisture, temperature, pollution, snow, sunshine, humidity, and the type of soil. This is where your gardening skills will kick in and you'll adjust how you care for your plants. Some plants like hot weather while others like cold weather. The same with watering...some plants prefer more water than others.
Climate change will definitely affect hardiness zones in the future, but the hardiness zone map is still a great tool to use before planning gardens.
One exception to gardening and not using the map is to plant indoors for better control over the plants environment. Use the tools that's best for you. In the meantime...
Happy Gardening ⚘🌱🌷
-Trish