I have seen references to Climate Zones or Plant Zones, could you please point me to a reference that would help me to find what areas of the country or climates that these zones refer to.
The handiest way to tell what part of the country a given zone covers is to consult a map. Here are two web sites that will help you do just that.
The National Arbor Day Foundation web site has a concise explanation of Hardiness Zones. Just enter your ZIP code in the search box and press the Look it Up button. A map will pop up telling you the zone in which your town falls.
In case you would like to compare the above site to another one, The United States National Arboretum has a clickable map that will also allow you to determine your zone. Just click on your state on the map or, alternatively, click on the state abbreviation below the map and you will be able to tell what zones apply to your area.
If you are on the West Coast, you may find the Sunset climate zones more helpful, as they take into account other variables besides just winter minimum temperatures. Search for keyword ‘climate’ or ‘zones.’
Another great resource at the library is The New Sunset Western Garden Book, edited by Kathleen Norris Brenzel. Menlo Park, CA : Sunset Pub. Corp., 2012.