Hello, I live in Southwestern Nova Scotia Zone 6 and I have many rododendrons,azaleas, Mountain Laurels, etc. all of which were not damaged by Juan or the sometimes heavy snowfall we get and I live beside the water, also get lots of wind. I have some rhodos that are approx 25 yrs. and I moved 4 large ones two years ago, they are doing well. Last winter we did not get much snow. Waiting for tomorrow to see what Earl brings. It rained earlier now (after midnight) it has stopped, crickets churping. Down at the lighthouse earlier, tide going out but the waves were getting rougher. Betty

The James Bay area of Greater Victoria is great for gardening even though it is expensive. Photo: A tiny area is used for exotics that can fit in tighter areas. The mild Pacific air allows local residents in Victoria to have broadleaf evergreens in winter. It is nice to see subtropical trees grow in part of Canada. Here is a link that might be useful: Subtropical flora in Greater Victoria

Ianna...THANK YOU for your well wishes too :) I have a friend that is walking the Pilgrimage route this Summer. Small world. Too bad your friend isn't ready to do it now...we can use more company. My riding partner from Wisconsin did a ride from top of Alaska to the bottom of Mexico. He said the Dempster Hwy was quite a challenge. COLD !! ROCKS !! I won't ever be doing that. We will be coming into the states just west of Winnipeg and then returning to Canada at the Sault. We are afraid of the road north of the lake as many cyclists have been killed/injured/reported how bad the road is with traffic and no shoulder. We have to be safe. I will perhaps be doing a blog on Crazy Guy on a bike. I will post the link if I decide to do it. Thanks again. c

Yes, the winter half of the year will be overcast most all of the time. Temperatures will be cold for 40% of the year, but not extremely so. Most of the time this cold will be just above the freezing point, sometimes just a little bit below. The air is cool and damp. Summer is the driest time of the year, but the summers are short (compared to US standards). The weather though is amazing in summer, just the right temperature, very mild, not too hot, and everything is lush green and bursting with life. By Canadian standards, the climate in Vancouver is considered virtually "subtropical", but that is compared to the rest of Canada. Expect to wear a rain resistant jacket for much of the year. Due to the nature of the rain, constant light drizzle often blowing in with a light wind, umbrellas are not very practical. Puff jackets are the common clothing item. Due to the latitude, the winter time of the year will have very short day length, but the summer time will have very long days. This difference will be noticeable compared to US cities, even including New York and Chicago. During the winter, the nighttime temperatures are almost the same as the days, but during the drier summer half of the year, the nights can get very cool to almost kind of cold. The cost of housing in Vancouver is overpriced. It can be unaffordable for many people to live there. The city has many cultural amenities, but not especially so compared to the biggest US cities.