Journey North's Study of Plants, Climates, and the Seasons

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Factors to Investigate How are these factors related to plant growth? Use this reference page to help you complete the Gardens Comparison Chart.
Factors	Sample Sources of Information
Global Position	Find the latitude and longitude of a garden site on Journey North's map or list of test gardens: List of Garden Sites Map of Garden Sites
Elevation	Shaded relief maps show elevation. Find the elevation of a garden site here: Shaded Relief Map (Note to Teachers: Google ads appear on page.)
Proximity of Oceans	Explore world maps to measure distance from a garden site to the nearest oceans. Google Maps
Day Length	Find the sunrise and sunset times at a garden site and calculate day length: Sunrise and Sunset Look-up Tables: USA/World
Temperatures	Explore today's temperatures. Use your own thermometer to find your current temperature. Look up temperatures at other garden sites here: Temperatures for Canada/USA/Europe
Climate Data	Explore the average, high, and low temperatures for a garden site at these links: Regional Climate Maps for USA/Canada/Europe
Historical Data from Tulip Test Gardens	Look at test garden data from past years. Find the dates tulips typically emerge and bloom at different test garden sites. Can you find patterns of plant growth? Tulip Test Gardens Map Archives
Plant Hardiness Zones	This map of North America is based on climate data. It shows zones with similar average minimum winter temperatures. Plants must be hardy enough to survive the coldest temperatures that are typical for these zones. Gardeners use this map as a guide for safe planting. Plant Hardiness Zone Map (North America)