I live in that zone just south of Everett, East of Mill Creek, West of Snohomish and North of Bothell - our neighborhood is within a very short distance to each of these addresses. I noticed that this area SEEMS a bit colder then when I lived within Everett (up by Forest Park) and certainly colder then Seattle. I have always considered my area to be zone 8 based on the USDA maps, but I wonder if that is really true and if we are in fact zone 7. Anybody else live in this area and know what the climate zone is? For many plants it doesn't make a difference, but for some of the marginal ones, it might. I looked at the minimum temps on the usda maps, and I recall them dropping down lower then zone 8 would indicate.

I noticed that plants grown under protection of some trees and house seem to get less cold damage so I realize that even within a yard there are "micro" microclimates!

thanks