Most of DelMarVa is a Zone 7b to 8a and it is more humid than the moutains of Virginia, but the Atlantic ocean does moderate the summer temps more than where I live on the northern Piedmont. The biggest difference you will notice is in the winter where there can be a 30 degree difference between the coast and the piedemont. I left the eastern shore one morning in January and it was 60F and drove home where it was snowing and 28F in the span of 2 hours drive. You can grow all the plants you mention and figs, pomegranates, Dwarf Palmetto (Sabal Minor), Needle Palms, Winmill Palms, hardy gardenias, camellias,yuccas and even hardy citrus. I do this here in Loudoun County a chilly Zone 7a and can just imagine what I could do on the Eastern Shore.

Thanks, Virginian. It sounds like gardeners' paradise. I just wonder if I can take the humidity. If the "feels-like" temp is tolerable because of the ocean, that would be wonderful. I've read that Newport News is horribly humid in summer---is that a different micro climate? Thanks again.

Many find the humidity significant. It is similar to Newport News. Quite a big change from zone 5.

Unlike the tidewater, the ES is a peninsular(sp?)and has water on both sides of it that does make it somewhat less humid and much more tolerable. It will not be as cool at night as the mountains, but that's what we have air conditioning for in these areas. On the tidewater, southside and piedmont it is more humid and the air remains more stagnant compared to the ES.

I live in the Salisbury area and I'm not to familiar with your particular cultivars, but I can tell you it gets as hot and humid here in the summer as anywhere else on the east coast. Being almost completely surrounded by water that in itself would dictate more so of humid conditions.
The predominant wind direction is southwest. The temp will be 95 in Salisbury and if your right on the coast you might be at a more comfortable 88. The difference between us and for example Balt. or D.C. is the air quality index or smog which is greater in the metro areas. Just like jbcarr said, you will be in for quite a change as compared to zn5. As far as north verses south peninsula The temp difference is greater in the winter months, Wilmington could be 10-15 degrees cooler than say Cape Charles. The summer temps are more uniform as a whole.

Thanks, Virginian, jbcarr & downeastmd. We were thinking of the southern part of the eastern shore, in the Cheriton/Onancock/Accomac area. Perhaps we won't know if we can stand the summer humidity unless we pay a summer visit. But, having read some of the warmer climate forums here (the complaints), I do worry about retiring to some place to garden and finding that because of the heat and humidity, one can only work outdoors at dawn or at night! That would still leave longer spring and fall gardening seasons than we have here, but I'm not sure it's a great trade. If I win the lottery, maybe we could summer in z5 (with the help of some caretaker named Jeeves)and spend fall,winter, spring on the eastern shore.

Actually , the snowbird thing makes the most sense to me. People are always posting looking for the ideal climate, and while usually seeming to describe CA, don't often describe anywhere I know on the East coast. Florida in the winter is awesome, but not for me in the summer. Really just depends on what people can consider "ideal", and what they can tolerate for the various trade offs. I think a visit in July- August and a stay for a while is a good idea. Good luck in your search.

I'm still chuckling over "chilly zone 7a". As a Wisconsin transplant to MD, I still can't get over how long and wonderful the gardening season is.

annebert: Near Milwaukee or was it northern Wisconsin? I guess my question is: In your Maryland garden is it too humid for you in July and August to be out working in the garden in the daytime?

I live on the eastern shore of Md,in Crisfield to be exact,and it is very close to the Onancock/Accomac area.We have our "moments" of being "too darned hot" but they do not send me inside too often but then I really love the warm weather and the long gardening season.I was just outside looking at all the things coming up in my yard and low and behold my annual begonia's are peeking out from under the mulch.They came back from last year,so you see , living here has a lot of advantages!

Thanks, monzi. This gives me hope.

Hi! I wanted to see if you had any other questions since I live in Cheriton. There are about 45 miles between Onancock and Cheriton and usually it is colder up that way than down here. The southern tip of the Delmarva Peninsula is narrower than the top so we have more exposure to the water of the Bay and Seaside. The ocean is a pretty good boatride through the seaside and barrier islands before you get to the actual ocean.

I'm in Accomac. I grow Lilacs but have never tried Delphiniums here. We got this place for our "retirement" home.

The weather is awsome IMO. There is about a month of pretty hot weather that I don't garden much. I start gardening sometimes in Feb always by March, with only a few days too chilly to be out there. I usually stop planting anything around mid to late July weather dependant and resume again first week or so of Sept. I do go out and weed etc but no heavy garden work through that time. It can get pretty humid, but we almost always have a nice breeze. It does stay warmer in winter and cooler in summer than our house in MD that is about 150 miles north of here.

I didn't think that there were that many "local folk" on this forum :) For those of you that don't check the exchange page; I'm having a garden visit/plant swap here in Accomac June 7.

jessikaandsamson: I appreciate your Southern kindness. Since you asked and since Cheriton is one of the places on our list: I notice that a lot of homes are on wells, and I wonder about the water tables and drought. Was the area hit hard by last summer's drought? Where do you shop, Cape Charles? Many thanks.

daylily: It's good to know that are other gardeners thereabouts. Wishing you a good time with your plant exchange.

The house that we bought luckily has a fairly deep well. Most of the new construction homes have very shallow wells that sit on top of the lawn rather than underground. Our lawn did suffer last summer so we did a lot of watering. For groceries, there is a Food Lion and a local meat market. Other than that, I travel to Virginia Beach-about 45 mintues and a $17 toll away.