With colder temperatures on the way, it's not a bad time to reflect on the cold-hardiness of plants. The cold-hardiness "zone in which you live can play a major part in determining whether a particular plant will survive and thrive or wither and die," states Steve Jones. The Plant Man offers examples in this article on the cold-hardiness of plants, citing some of the landscape's most popular plants.

_{Paper birch is among the hardiest of trees. Photo ©2006 David Beaulieu (licensed to About.com)}