Each plant has a unique set of requirements on everything from sunlight to water, and you'll be able to make your garden thrive if you can meet these conditions. While you may find success with a wide variety of plants, you're likely to discover that some kinds simply won't be able to survive in your yard.

Although each region in the United States has a set of environmental conditions which makes some plants more suitable than others, you'll also encounter differences in wind, temperature, and more on a very small scale. Understanding these "microclimates" can help you experiment with your gardening and set up your flowers, fruits, and vegetables in the places where they have the best growing conditions.

The overall climate in the region is still a good baseline to start with. Falon Mihalic, writing for the home design site Houzz, says the United States Department of Agriculture's hardiness zones will show an area's lowest winter temperatures and let you know if a plant will be able to survive into the spring. Much of Connecticut and Rhode Island are in Zones 6a and 6b, which have extreme low temperatures of between zero and -10 degrees.

On the other end of the temperature spectrum, the American Horticultural Society maintains a map showing how hot a region is during the summer. All of Rhode Island and most of Connecticut are in a zone where the number of days with temperatures above 86 degrees averages between 14 and 30.

Mihalic says you should also have some information about precipitation levels in your region. Determine how many inches of rain fall on average and which months are most likely to have this precipitation.

Within the climate zones are larger microclimates, which can influence temperatures enough to bump your neighborhood into another hardiness zone. Charlie Mazza, writing for the Cornell Cooperative Extension, says bodies of water tend to moderate temperature. Although the effect is more pronounced with large quantities of water, such as the Great Lakes, it is also noticeable to a lesser extent with smaller features such as ponds.

The concentration of asphalt roads and buildings in urban areas will make these areas warmer than rural areas. Heat is absorbed during the day and radiated back into the atmosphere at night. While this effect helps to moderate winter temperatures, it can also result in scorching days in the summer.

Hills and slopes will also have a major effect on an area's localized climate. Cold, moist air will accumulate at the bottom of hills, making them colder and more prone to frost than other areas. Hilltops are more exposed to high winds.

In your own yard, differences in exposure to sunlight will have the most significant effect on microclimates. Mihalic says sites with southern exposure will receive the most sunlight and highest temperatures, making them most appropriate for plants that require plenty of both. Sites with northern exposure will have less sunlight, higher winds, and colder temperatures; frost-resistant plants will do best here.

Eastern exposure will result in plenty of morning sunlight and afternoon shade, which can prevent scorching damage. Drought-resistant plants will do best in sites with western exposure, since they will have the best tolerance for hot afternoon temperatures.

Structures—including your house, sheds, fences, and walls—will create shade, block wind, and absorb and radiate heat. Patricia Lunn Adsit, writing for the North Carolina State University Cooperative Extension, says you should also be aware that cold air can accumulate behind these structures if they block wind, creating a cooler microclimate there.

Mazza says plants that are established on balconies are rooftops will be less vulnerable to ground level frost. However, these sites may also experience more wind.

Paved surfaces, including driveways and patios, will not only absorb and radiate heat but also create wet spots if rainfall drains from them in one direction. Water flowing from the roof or downspout may also pool in certain areas, though the lee side of the house will have less precipitation when rainfall is accompanied by wind.

Trees can have a pronounced effect on the areas around them. They can help provide shade for certain plants, but they may also limit sunlight and rain from reaching the ground or provide too much competition for water and nutrients. Adsit says gardeners should make sure their trees have an appropriate height, orientation, and spread for their yard.

Just as larger slopes will have an effect on the neighborhood's microclimate, changes in elevation will have an effect on your individual property. Low spots will be more sheltered from the wind, but they are also more vulnerable to frost. Steeper slopes will drain water faster, and Mihalic says they may also have more intense sunlight.

In some areas, soils may vary in different parts of the yard. Mazza says heavy clays work better at moderating temperature by radiating heat, while lighter soils will trap heat below the surface and are more likely to freeze.

Adsit says there are several strategies to extend the growing season beyond its normal limits. Raised beds and containers will warm up faster than ground plots, allowing earlier spring planting. You can also control moisture and temperature with different kinds of mulch.