Q. How far north in Ontario can a golden spirit smokebush survive and thrive? The tag on the plant in the nursery says zone 5 and I live in Aurora on the borderline between zone 5 and zone 4.

A. You're quite right that smoke bushes are usually listed as zone 5 trees. However, my Sudbury (350 km north of you) smokebush has been very happy for about 10 years now. I lose some wood each winter, but by the end of June it is again more than a metre high and just lovely.

My advice to you — find a protected 'microclimate' type location in your garden and watch it thrive!

Linda Hugli
Master Gardener