Well, the only problem I see is that for you, you not only have to garden for frost, but for EXTREME heat. A LOT of zone 8 plants just don't like it over 105º. If you say got a plant for a high desert area, they may enjoy it... plus a lot of zone 8 plants just love water.... Redding is hard to garden in, in my opinion.

You would need some cooler micro climates on your property. I got a book on heat zone gardening a number of years ago and discovered why (heat) I was losing certain plants -- just wasting my money. I don't even bother with zone 8 plants anymore since our property is definitly zone 9/9.

Guess I'd better stay with what I know then! Thanks anyhow for the info. Pat

depends on what you mean by "zone 8" plants---since many usda zone 8 plants are quite heat tolerant everything from yuccas to oleanders to certain eucalyptus. are you actually refering to certain temperate plants like rhododendrons, dogwoods, japanese maples, and hostas for example. some of them will grow quite satisfactorily if favorable microclimates in the garden are exploited like t cool north and east exposures or at least dappled shade provided by trees, summer watering, mulches to cool the root zone, fall planting to allow establishment before the hot dry summers, and a combination of all the above may let you get away with lots of things. the "sunset western garden book" lists a number of the plants mentioned above as possible for hot summer interior valley areas like redding and the sacramento valley (sunset zones 9 and 14) check it out for even more suggestions.

I agree with George (even though he's improperly carpetbagging on this forum from Oregon). Having lived in Tucson, I can tell you that there are zillions of "Zone 8" plants that would be appropriate. "Zone 8" is the most problematic of all USDA Zone designations: Seattle, Tucson, Dallas, Gainesville...they're all "Zone 8". I'm presuming that you're talking about USDA Zones. It's a bit confusing because the relevant Sunset Zones are also Zones 8 and 9 in this case. This far north, SS Zone 8 would be safest. Some SS Zone 9 plants should work in protected locations. There aren't too many plants that are recommended for 9 but not 8. A lot of your selection will revolve around how much irrigation water you're prepared to use.
I wouldn't use this year's freeze experience as an indicator of typical cold-weather performance.

Sunset created their unique climate zones to address the problem of both heat and cold tolerance. The Sacramento Valley has zones 7, 8, 9 and 14.

Because a plant is rated for USDA zone 8 doesn't mean it isn't capable of dealing with Redding's heat. Our native Spice Bush will handle temperatures well into USDA zones 3 and 4, but the heat in the Southwest doesn't bother it. Ponderosa Pines and Toyon are other examples.

As for heat tolerant plants, Japanese Maples and a whole lot of other popular plants are going to burn in extreme heat. Some will die from the heat. I spent quite a few years gardening in Fresno. Redding gets hot, but it gets hot and the temperature backs down into the mid-90s before until the next heat wave. If you want some good tips for gardening in hot weather, there are a few people from Fresno and Bakersfield here. The heat there seldom backs off after the end of May and nights in the upper 50's are almost unheard of in the summer down there. Redding gets to see nights in the upper 50's and low 60's between heat waves.

Your local climate is part of gardening. The challenge here is to find varieties that do well in your climate. Believe me, there are plenty of attractive plants that will do well in Redding. Just don't expect to grow the English version of a cottage garden.

The American Horticultural Society has a heat zone map. I have problems with it because a plant that takes 110º readily may not take 110º and wind or even tolerate 90º and a lot of humidity.

http://www.ahs.org/publications/heat_zone_map.htm

As for heavy frosts, in most of the Sacramento Valley you can figure lows bottoming out between 25º and 30º on an average year, regardless of what people in this forum say. Anyone that has to get up at 6AM here will tell you they are greeted by a frosty windshield on quite a few mornings. Redding is elevated slightly above the rest of the Sacramento Valley, so cold air drains off into the lowest areas of the Valley, which is designated as Sunset zone 8.

It may be helpful if you mention what plants you are interested in. Someone may know of a variety or suitable substitute for hot weather.

There are also some internet tools that allow you to search for planting potential by zip code. Entering your zip code will generate a list of plants that other users have reported will succeed in the area. You might want to cross-check the Redding list against the list from a bigger city zip code like Sacramento (which is not in exactly the same zone...but close) to get a more extensive list of candidates from more adventurous gardeners.

Here is a link that might be useful: Plant adaptability by zip code

Just checked out plants in my zip code and WOW, this is great. And helpful, thanks so much for URL! The information you have all contributed has been a great help and I thank you all for your time and efforts. Pat