
Watch any gardening shows on tv, and you’ll often hear them use the term ‘Microclimate’ but what IS a microclimate??
The term microclimate refers to a small area where the climate conditions differ from the surrounding area. Sunlight exposure, wind patterns, soil types, or proximity to structures are all contributing factors.
Let me give you an example…. A large, advanced Morten Bay Fig tree growing in a full sun location exposed to prevailing winds… that’s the growing conditions it’s subject to, and the climate it’s growing within.
Now if a collection of Hellebores' and Hosta's were growing at the base of that tree in rich, organic composted soil, protected from the winds by the large exposed roots, and fully shaded and sheltered by the huge canopy of dense foliage, they would be growing within their own climate, full shade and sheltered, and potentially a couple of degrees cooler too as the intensity of the suns heat would be less harsh beneath the dense thick canopy.
One small, contained climate co-existing within another larger completely different climate, a micro-climate.
**Benefits of growing plants within a micro-climate: **
1. **Extended Growing Season: **If you're lucky enough to own a 'hot-house/ green-house', you can grow vegetables that might otherwise be out of season, almost all year round.
Plants that require warmer temperatures often begin start to struggle once the days become cooler and shorter. A green-house acts as a microclimate trapping heat from the days sun within and insulating them from the cold allowing them to grow well beyond their typical season.
This is how large commercial plant suppliers grow stock to provide to the retail outlets.

2. **Protection from Harsh Conditions: ** Plants that are sensitive to strong winds or frost can be sheltered in a microclimate, providing them with a more suitable environment to grow.
Think of the hellebores' example I just described above.
You couldn’t grow the delicate little babies tears ground cover out in dry sandy soil in the hot sun, but if you planted a large shade tree, improved the soil beneath it, and grew some lovely dense perennials, there’s a good chance the babies tears might grow protected there in beneath the perennials.
3. **Diverse Plant Selection: ** By creating different microclimates within your garden, you can experiment in growing a wider variety of plants that may not be able to survive in the overall climate of your region.
4. **Optimal Growing Conditions: ** Microclimates can offer ideal conditions for specific plants, such as increased humidity, reduced sunlight exposure, or better drainage, leading to healthier growth.
The little ferns growing within the terrarium below are growing within their own microclimate. They wouldn't be exposed the fluctuations in temperature within the house, cold draughts in the winter, or warm dry air from the fire. The moisture, humidity and temperature would be maintained and consistent. The perfect example of a microclimate.

A dear friend of mine has a beautiful new home built less than 10 years ago on their farm. When the house was first built quite literally in the middle of a paddock, there was not so much as a tree or twig. There was no protection from the constant prevailing winds and her soil was ( and still is) a heavy sticky black clay that becomes sodden in winter with the shallow water table and shrinks and cracks in summer leaving her with canyons a small dog could get lost down.
The first thing she did was to establish a good, dense shelter belt of now large, advanced trees to completely surround the house.
Fast forward to now, the mature trees provide almost total protection from the winds, the under-plantings of annuals and perennials have shade from the harsh summer sun, and many a season of top dressing her garden beds with generous layers of pea straw and rich organic matter has seen her have good, deep beds of nutrient rich top soil to plant into.
She's essentially created a completely different climate within her yard to that of outside her yard, a microclimate.

A small section of her lovely garden that was once an empty barren paddock.

Next time you fall in-love with a plant but think you can’t have it because you can’t provide it with the growing conditions it needs, try to come up with a solution to get around those constraints. When it comes to gardening, anything is possible, sometimes we just need to think outside of the square.
Happy Gardening 😘🪴
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