We’re heading to Bend, Oregon to celebrate my niece’s graduation from high school (wootwoot) and my sister’s (undisclosed age) birthday. It’s been several years since we visited Bend, so it will be a treat to get together with family. And, I’m looking forward to learning more about the geology, climate zone, and high desert plants.
In preparation, I pulled out the trusty Sunset The Western Garden Book. Bend is in climate zone 1A, which is a cold, intermountain area on the edge of the Cascades. Bend is considered high desert, and is situated on an ancient volcanic region. In June, mean temperatures range from 41 to 72 degrees, with extremes recorded at 23 degrees (low) to 99 degrees (high). Annual rainfall averages 11.7 inches, some of which comes from snowfall. The growing season is short, from 50 – 100 days per year, and frost can occur any time of the year.
The USDA hardiness zone is 5a, which may be more useful for gardeners who are interested in plants that can withstand the cold temperatures. This is a challenging area for gardening and agriculture.
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| Forested area in the Bend, Oregon area |
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