Nick Maclaren wrote:
Having been prodded once too often by this, here is a draft of a
climate FAQ (including remarks about USDA zones). Comments
welcome.


This FAQ is dedicated to all of uk.rec.gardening's fans, both in
the USA and UK, who have difficulty in understanding how the
other's climate can be so different.


Q: Well, why are they so different?

A: The first and main reason is that the USA has a strongly
continental temperate climate, excluding Hawaii, the Gulf of Mexico
coast and the Pacific North West (including the southern Alaskan
coast), and the UK a strongly maritime temperate one.


Q: But the USA has lots of coastline! Isn't that maritime?

A: No. In a coastal continental climate, the marine influence
extends very little inland (often only a mile or two). Cambridge
has as close to a continental climate as anywhere in the UK, is 70
miles from the nearest coast, and is still has a strongly maritime
climate.


Reference to Cambridge seems 'strangely self centered' ;-)
I would have thought that Milton Keynes has a stronger case to claim
"as close to a continental climate as anywhere in the UK".

--
ned