Definition:
The microclimate is the conditions surrounding plants directly. It can be as small as the circle around one plant, a backyard, or an area of a few miles. It may differ quite a bit from the general mesoclimate (think of the neighborhood/city level) and macroclimate (larger area) in some cases. An area next to a wall might be sheltered from rain or wind. Soil temperatures can be affected by the type of soil present.
Other factors can affect the climate on a small scale, which can sometimes lead to the possibility of growing plants you couldn't usually.
For example, I worked at a water conservation demonstration garden in Zone 5 Utah. I was able to figure out the identity of a plant in the garden that had lost its tag. We were surprised to discover that it was a star of Persia (Scilla peruviana), which usually grows in warmer climates. The location was mulched well and protected somewhat from the elements, so it was able to survive Utah's cold due to the microclimate around it.
The microclimate is the conditions surrounding plants directly. It can be as small as the circle around one plant, a backyard, or an area of a few miles. It may differ quite a bit from the general mesoclimate (think of the neighborhood/city level) and macroclimate (larger area) in some cases. An area next to a wall might be sheltered from rain or wind. Soil temperatures can be affected by the type of soil present.
Other factors can affect the climate on a small scale, which can sometimes lead to the possibility of growing plants you couldn't usually.
For example, I worked at a water conservation demonstration garden in Zone 5 Utah. I was able to figure out the identity of a plant in the garden that had lost its tag. We were surprised to discover that it was a star of Persia (Scilla peruviana), which usually grows in warmer climates. The location was mulched well and protected somewhat from the elements, so it was able to survive Utah's cold due to the microclimate around it.