Georgia spans USDA Hardiness Zones 6b through 9a—from the North Georgia mountains (zones 6b-7a) through Atlanta's Piedmont region (zones 8a-8b) to the coastal areas (zones 8b-9a). However, hardiness zones only tell you one thing: the coldest winter temperature. They don't help you plan what to grow throughout the year.

While hardiness zones help you choose perennials, shrubs, and trees that can survive Atlanta winters, they only tell part of the story. These zones don't account for Atlanta's humid summers, red clay soil, unpredictable late spring frosts (typically ending in late March to early April), or summer heat that can stress certain plants.