This is so interesting J Patrick, I likewise have gardened all my life, growing up in the north of England in Windermere in the Lake District my dads garden was mostly sturdy veggies sprouts, spuds, cabbage, lettuce, leeks etc , most pests were the slugs so we treated them to saucers of beer so they perished with a smile on their face at least, in addition many fruit bushes esp. raspberries, redcurrants, gooseberries and very sturdy vigorous rhubarb plants, damp climate not too harsh a winter climate, and summer temps probably mostly high 60’s and low 70’s so not possible to grow without a greenhouse any summer veggies. The very small front of the house garden was mostly roses and lavender bushes.
On moving to US around 1980 it was then 35+ years of zone 6 Boston area gardens and for the most part I must say pest free, we’ve been fortunate to avoid the deer problem.
So I’ve always thought I’d like to have gardened in a higher zone just for flexibility of growing options but as it turned out we’ve gone down at least one zone here in Vermont but on hearing your story it’s a realty check!! Well all the best this growing season.
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