Growing the Snow Girl Gardenia

Size and Appearance

The Snow Girl Gardenia grows at a steady pace into a broad, low, rounded shrub about twice as wide as it is tall, with plants being about 18 inches tall and 3 feet across within a few years of growing in your garden. It has many branches, so it naturally makes a dense, leafy plant across the ground without any need for trimming or pruning. The small leaves are just an inch long, and they are slender ovals, barely ½ an inch across. They are smooth, glossy and a wonderful deep, rich green, even in winter and even with less-than-ideal light. The bush has a charming grace, reaching out across the soil, or spilling from a pot.

In spring every branch tip, across the entire plant, begins to grow a pointed green bud. These develop, and open in succession into a remarkable abundance of large blooms. So many may be open at one time that the foliage is almost completely obscured, yet blooming continues for weeks, with a major blooming in spring, followed by periodic flushes of flowers through summer and into the fall.
Each bloom is a flat disc of 6 broad, thick petals, making a large bloom up to 2 inches across. Even a young plant may carry 100 blooms at a time. Each flower opens pure snow-white, gradually changing over a week to a soft cream, before naturally falling, so no dead-heading is needed. The flat disc of white is accented by a short cone of golden-yellow in the center of the bloom, which is surrounded by a 6-pointed star made of the pollen-carrying stamens. Different in appearance, certainly, but when you smell the classic fragrance rising from the bush you will know indeed that this really is a gardenia.

During the weeks it is not in bloom the lovely leaves make it a handsome evergreen, and a 365 day beautiful presence in your landscape.

Using the Snow Girl Gardenia in Your Garden

The versatility of the Snow Girl Gardenia is remarkable. Use it as a foreground shrub in the planting around your home, or to line a pathway. Grow a single plant in a small bed, or plant it in groups or rows. Space plants 2 feet apart and within a few years they will be a full, flowing mass of green and white. Wherever you need a touch of snowy beauty, here it is. It is also fabulous in containers and pots, decorating your deck, patio or porch. In zones 9 and 10 plants in pots are hardy outdoors all year round. In zones 7 and 8 bring your plants into a cool glass porch or a cool, bright place in your home for the coldest months, and return outside as soon as possible, for the best growth.

Hardiness

The Snow Girl Gardenia is fully hardy throughout zone 7, with almost no foliage loss during the coldest months. It also grows well in hot areas, being perfectly happy in zones 9 and 10, right down to the tip of Florida and around the Gulf.

Sun Exposure and Soil Conditions

Although gardenias are often planted in shade, it is best to grow them with some morning sun, especially in cooler zones. Plant your Snow Girl Gardenia where it has full sun in the morning, and shade in the afternoon. In hot zones it will also grow well in light all-day shade, such as beneath high canopies of deciduous trees. Avoid low-hanging evergreens and dark corners, where it will not be happy.

It is important that this plant is grown in acidic soils, with a pH value of 6.0 or less. Even down to 4.5 it will be happy. It also enjoys rich soil, so add plenty of lime-free organic composts, or even peat moss, when preparing the planting area. Use more each spring as a mulch, being careful not to bury the foliage or pile it up around the stem. Spread it out over the whole root zone.
If you don’t have suitable soil, or simply want it in a pot, use a pot with a large drainage hole and plant in soil blended for acid-loving plants, like azaleas.

Maintenance and Pruning

The ‘secret’ to gardenia success is first to have the right light and soil, and then to water so it is never too wet, and never too dry. Do this by always watering thoroughly and then never water while the top inch of soil is still wet. Do the same for plants in pots, never leaving the pot sitting in a saucer of water. Trickle irrigation is also excellent for gardenias. When young, some liquid fertilizer for acid-loving plants will help it give you 100%, and regular fertilizing is essential for plants growing in pots.

It is not necessary to prune your Snow Girl Gardenia, but if you want to, do it immediately after the big spring display of bloom is over, and not at any other time of year, or the blooming will be greatly reduced.

History and Origin of the Snow Girl Gardenia

Although often called ‘Cape Jasmine’, Gardenia jasminoides came originally from China, with the first plants arriving in Charleston in 1762. It was an instant hit, and women wore corsages of the flowers to the grand balls of the South. Since those times it has fallen a little out of fashion.

Bob Head is a highly-regarded plant breeder, especially of azaleas, who has a nursery in Seneca, South Carolina. Wanting to bring gardenias into the 21st century he started by collecting seeds from a single-flowered old variety called ‘Daisy’. From these seeds, collected in 2008. He grew many, many seedlings, and in 2009 he selected one that had outstanding features of great garden value. After years of testing he found it was very reliable and unique, and he named it ‘WAH-LM’. In 2019 he was granted a US patent on it. For gardeners it was christened and trademarked as Snow Girl, and to be sure it had wide circulation so everyone could enjoy it, it was released across the country by Star® Roses and Plants.

Buying the Snow Girl Gardenia at the Tree Center

If you love the scent and snow-white beauty of gardenias, you will adore the lovely Snow Girl Gardenia, with its modern look, broad spreading form, large blooms and delicious fragrance. Everyone wants to be growing these modern beauties, so order your plants now, while we still have them available. That won’t be for long, so order right away and we will reserve them immediately, shipping them to your home within a very short time.

Growing the Daisy Duke Gardenia

Size and Appearance

The Daisy Duke Gardenia is a small evergreen shrub, growing into a broad mound of dense branches, and reaching around 3 feet tall and 4 feet wide in 5 years or so. It remains leafy to the ground and needs no trimming, unless you want a perfect round profile. The many leaves are oval, averaging about 1½ inches long and ¾ inch wide. They are smooth, glossy and deep, rich green. This variety has exceptionally good retention of mature foliage through the coldest winter months, and also retains its deep green coloring in winter, as well as even when grown in considerable shade.

In spring you will see green flower buds developing in abundance, on every growing tip, and they grow rapidly. The buds are normally carried in pairs at the end of every branch, even smaller side-branches. These open into charming single flowers with 6 radiating petals. The flowers are well-sized, a generous 2 inches across, and the petals have the thick, dense texture typical of gardenia flowers. In the center of each flower is an upright cluster of bright yellow, accented by a 6-pointed star of beige-yellow stamens. Flowers are pure white when they first open, gradually turning soft creamy yellow, and then shriveling and dropping naturally. No tedious dead-heading is required. Of course, let’s not forget the big event – the magnificent fragrance that flows from every blossom, filling the surrounding air. The perfume – coveted by all the top perfumiers – is a heady floral, resembling jasmine or tuberose, but with some fruity tones too. Tropical, it also has a gentle tang, and a creamy coconut element too.

Flowering begins in mid to late spring, and continues for weeks, well into the summer months. After blooming the bush remains a great garden element, with its rich green, glossy foliage.

Using the Daisy Duke Gardenia in Your Garden

With it’s hardiness, vigor and relaxed blooms, the Daisy Duke Gardenia opens up new possibilities for using these plants in your garden. It’s perfect for everything from bold round accents, to informal hedges, and can be grown alongside azaleas, beneath camellia bushes, and in all beds, from evergreen shrubbery to beds of flowers. It is also of course perfect for pot-growing, so you can place it on a terrace. This is a great way to grow them if you don’t have suitable soil conditions. Pots are hardy through winter outdoors from zone 8, and in colder areas can be easily kept in a bright room, preferably cool, for the winter months.

Hardiness

Most gardenias are hardy only to zone 8 or 7. The remarkable Daisy Duke Gardenia has been tested successfully right down to – 5o F, meaning it is hardy through all but the coldest parts of zone 6. Plus, it retains foliage in those conditions very well, with little leaf dropping and no yellow. Of course it also grows well all through zone 10, opening up gardenia growing to a wide group of people.

Sun Exposure and Soil Conditions

For maximum blooming and growth, plant the Daisy Duke Gardenia in a spot with plenty of morning sun, but some shade in the afternoon. Especially in the colder zones, several hours of direct sunlight each day is essential for sufficient growth. In warmer zones it will also grow in broken dappled shade, such as beneath the canopy of tall deciduous trees. Avoid heavy shade and the gloom beneath low-growing evergreens.

The soil should be acidic, with a pH value of no more than 6, and as low as 4.5. The soil should also be rich in humus and organic matter, so add plenty of lime-free compost, rotted leaves or even peat moss when preparing your planting spot. Use these materials also as annual mulch, added in late spring over the whole root zones, avoiding the trunk and foliage.

Maintenance and Pruning

Gardenias have a reputation for being ‘difficult’, but really they aren’t – they just have some specific needs. Light and soil we have already mentioned. As well, never cultivate the soil around the roots, which are shallow and easily damaged. A good balance if watering is the final ‘secret’, and the goal is, ‘not too wet, not too dry’. Never water plants if the soil is already moist, but don’t let more than the top inch or so dry out, especially from late spring to early fall. Gentle trickly irrigation is usually better than big soakings, but never water unevenly. Young plants benefit from some liquid fertilizer blended for gardenias or azaleas, but once well-established that annual mulch will take care of their food needs.

In pots, make sure you have good drainage, and never leave standing in a saucer of water. Use potting soil blended for acid loving plants and feed regularly with liquid fertilizer for plants of that type.

Pruning is not necessary, but if you do want to prune, do it as soon as the last blooms fall, as at other times you will be removing flower buds – not what you want to be doing!

History and Origin of the Daisy Duke Gardenia

The most common gardenia in gardens is Gardenia jasminoides. Originally coming from China, it is often called ‘Cape Jasmine’, but this is a confusion with another species (Gardenia thunbergia) which comes from southern Africa. You may also see it listed with a much older name, as ‘Gardenia augusta’. It has been grown in America for centuries, first arriving in Charleston in 1762.

Robert (‘Bob’) Head is a well-known plant breeder who lives in Seneca, South Carolina. He has a great reputation for his Bloom-A-Thon reblooming azaleas, but he also breeds gardenias. In 2010 he was looking at a batch of an older variety called ‘Daisy’, when he spotted something. One branch on one bush was denser, neater and more tightly branched, and when he grew it via cuttings into a separate plant the new plants were smaller and very bushy. He named it RLH-GA1’, and was granted a patent in 2019. The plant has been released to gardeners with the trademark name of Daisy Duke.

Buying the Daisy Duke Gardenia at the Tree Center

If you live in zones 6 and 7, and enjoy gardenias, then the Daisy Duke Gardenia is especially for you. For everyone, though, this tough, reliable plant is a ‘new wave’ of gardenias, turning them from slightly stuffy and hard to grow plants into easy garden plants for everyone. Try it yourself and you will see how true this is. These modern plants are taking off, so order while we still have stock, or miss out.

Growing the Buttons Gardenia

Size and Appearance

The Buttons Gardenia grows steadily into a rounded evergreen shrub between 18 and 30 inches tall and wide. It has a neat, dense structure, always looking trimmed but never needing trimming. The oval leaves are very dark green, with a very glossy surface and about 2½ inches long, clustering densely along the stems. They are thick and leathery, with lots of ‘substance’. They don’t easily burn in the sun, or turn yellow in winter.

For several weeks in May and June, your bush will be in full bloom, with some additional blooms developing through the summer months. The bush might be small and compact, but the blooms are full-sized – 2 inches across – with 15 to 20 petals arranged in two overlapping whorls around the center. This plant has a unique looking bloom. The petals are as thick, lustrous and pure white as any gardenia, and in the center is a cute little ‘button’ that seems to hold it all together, with 6 fat brown stamens forming an arching circle around it. (The button is actually the stigma, the place where the pollen lands when fertilizing the flower). The flower gives off the most amazing sweet scent, loved by everyone, and found in the most expensive perfumes, made by companies like Chanel, Gucci, Givenchy and Marc Jacobs. The flowers slowly turn yellow over a week, and then drop cleanly to the ground, keeping everything neat and tidy.

Using the Buttons Gardenia in Your Garden

This compact shrub is perfect for growing in the front of a border, perhaps along a pathway where its perfume can easily be appreciated. It blends well in areas where you are growing azaleas, blooming after them, or with other acid-loving plants. It is also ideal for pot-growing, where it could be placed on a step or a terrace, or grown inside a porch area. Pots can be brought indoors in winter to protect it if you are gardening in cooler zones. Don’t forget to snip some blooms to bring inside to enjoy in a vase for up to a week.

Hardiness

The Buttons Gardenia is reliably hardy in zones 8, 9 and 10. It should be brought inside in cooler zones once night temperatures fall below 50 degrees and grown in a bright spot indoors until spring. At the other extreme, this plant grows well in hot humid conditions, with temperatures of 105 Fahrenheit tolerated well.

Sun Exposure and Soil Conditions

Morning sun and afternoon shade are the ideal for the Buttons Gardenia. It will also grow well in light shade, such as the dappled shade from overhead deciduous trees, or under a clear sky in the shade of a wall. Remember that it is shade in summer, when the sun is high in the sky, that matters most – sun in spring and fall can be more constant. The perfect soil for gardenias is moist, well-drained and slightly acidic. Add plenty of lime-free organic material, like peat-moss or rotted pine needles, when preparing the ground for planting. When you grow it in a pot, use a potting soil for acid-loving plants, like azalea soil.

Maintenance and Pruning

The way to grow gardenias well is to attend to watering. Keep the soil moist but not wet – to do that, don’t water when the ground is already moist, but let the top layer dry a little. Then water well and wait until the surface soil dries again. Use a fertilizer recommended for camellias and azaleas if you cannot find one specifically for gardenias – apply it as directed. Deadheading should not be necessary as the Buttons Gardenia doesn’t usually develop seeds. Trimming isn’t usually needed with such a compact bush, but if you do want to trim do it immediately after the main blooming in spring – otherwise you will remove potential flower buds. Pests and diseases shouldn’t cause problems if you are watering and feeding correctly, and deer don’t eat gardenias at all.

History and Origin of the Buttons Gardenia

The gardenia, Gardenia jasminoides, was first grown in America by Dr. James Gordon, a Scotsman who had moved to Charleston, South Carolina. He definitely had plants in his garden by 1762. Indeed, the famous botanist Linnaeus created the name Gardenia to honor Dr. Gordon. Since then many improved varieties have been developed, and of course spread all over the world. Sydney, Australia has a similar climate to the South, and acid soil, so gardenias grow well there. North of Sydney is Kariong, and there John Robb is a partner at Paradise Seeds, a specialized plant breeding nursery. In 2007 he collected seeds from a gardenia variety called ‘Veitchii’, and sowed them. In 2010 he selected one of those seedlings for its unusual and attractive flowers, and named it ‘Buttons’. It was patented in the USA in 2014, and released by Star® Roses and Plants as part of their Bloomables® range.

Buying the Buttons Gardenia at the Tree Center

This unique plant is so charming and special, and those big blooms really pop on this compact plant. Everyone is excited by it, and stocks are moving fast. Don’t hesitate to grow it in your garden – order now.

Growing the Fool Proof Gardenia

Size and Appearance

The Fool Proof Gardenia is a rounded evergreen shrub that soon grows 3 to 4 feet tall and about 3 feet wide. It has an attractive upright form and remains bushy to the ground for many years. The leaves are very glossy and a rich dark green. They are almost 3 inches long, but just over ½ inch wide – a unique slender shape that give this bush a special look, distinct from other gardenias. Plants flower profusely in spring, and then once the new growth matures a little, cycles of reblooming take place from early summer right into fall. There are almost always some blooms on this bush, for your enjoyment. The flowers are between 2 and 3 inches across, with a high center and they are double, with an outer whorl of 6 petals and an inner center of 10 petals which form a tight bloom. The petals are pure white, with a thick, lustrous texture and of course that wonderful, wonderful scent of gardenias, one of the most beautiful fragrances in the world. Flowers last for several days, slowly turning first cream and then pale yellow, until they shrivel and fall off naturally.

Using the Fool Proof Gardenia in Your Garden

With its tolerance of some shade the Fool Proof Gardenia is perfect for planting beside a path through your garden, or next to your porch steps. Use it to edge beds, or plant it as a specimen among azaleas, or in front of your camellia bushes. It can also be used as a beautiful container plant, kept outdoors all year in the warmest zones, or given some winter shelter in a porch or indoors for the coldest months, if you live in a cooler area. Container growing also means you can grow this plant whatever zone you live in.

Hardiness

The Fool Proof Gardenia is hardy outdoors from zone 7 into zones 9 and 10.

Sun Exposure and Soil Conditions

The ideal location for the Fool Proof Gardenia is a spot where it has morning sun and afternoon shade, such as an east-facing wall or fence. Some sun is beneficial for maximum flowering, but direct afternoon sun can easily burn the foliage. Light dappled shade beneath trees is also suitable, but don’t plant it in deep, permanent shade. The soil should be evenly-moist, rich in organic material, but well-drained. It should also be acidic, although if you apply iron chelates regularly it can be grown in neutral to slightly alkaline soils without much problem. Dig plenty of lime-free compost or rotted leaves into the soil before planting, and mulch around the roots in spring with more.

Maintenance and Pruning

Gardenias don’t like root disturbance, so don’t cultivate around the root system. Use mulch instead to control weeds, and this will also conserve moisture and keep the roots cool. Use liquid fertilizers for acid-loving plants, especially if you are growing in a container or pot. Make sure pots have drainage holes and use a compost designed for acid-loving plants. Pruning is not usually needed, but if you want to trim to control the size, do this straight after the spring flowering ends, and don’t trim back summer shoots, as that will prevent re-blooming. This variety has improved resistance to the pests and diseases that can affect other varieties, and it is less likely to be damaged by cold snaps or hot spells. Water regularly, but don’t water if the soil is already damp.

History and Origin of the Fool Proof Gardenia

The gardenia, Gardenia jasminoides, is also called Cape jasmine, although it doesn’t come from southern Africa, but from India, Vietnam, southern China and Japan. It has been grown for its fragrance in those eastern countries for at least a thousand years. When it arrived in Charleston, South Carolina around 1762 it became an instant hit, and it was soon being grown all across the South. Its intoxicating perfume makes us think of hot, sultry summer evenings and grand balls.

Most varieties of gardenia bloom in spring, just once a year. Robert Lee, or ‘Buddy’, made his reputation as a plant breeder developing the Autumn Encore Azaleas, and his skill in finding plants that re-bloom is renowned. More recently he has turned his attention to gardenias, planting many different varieties at his nursery in Independence, Louisiana. In 2007 he collected many seeds from this collection, and grew them into blooming plants. Among them were some that re-bloomed, and he chose one outstanding plant in 2010 for further trials. In 2020 he patented this plant with the name ‘Leesix’. It is made available to gardeners with the trademark name of Fool Proof, as part of the Southern Living® Plant Collection.

Buying the Fool Proof Gardenia at the Tree Center

This is your big chance to have gardenias in your garden not just in spring, but all the way through into fall as well. Full of perfume, fully double, and with graceful glossy leaves, this bush will be a center-piece in your planting. Order now, because everyone wants that chance, and our plants will soon be gone.

Growing the Double Mint Gardenia

Size and Appearance

The Double Mint Gardenia is a rounded evergreen shrub, growing no more than 3 feet tall and wide, with dense branching and a solid, bushy form. The leaves are beautifully glossy and a rich, dark emerald green – and they stay that way all year round, with none of the winter yellowing that so many gardenias show. The oval leaves are between 1½ and 2 inches long, and about ¾ of an inch wide. They have a smooth touch and a slightly leathery texture – tough leaves that won’t burn easily or drop, so your bush stays healthy-looking.

This bush blooms profusely all through May and June, making a wonderful show. Then in fall the first buds that develop open, making a great second blooming, and the later buds become dormant, to open the following spring. The blossoms are a full 2 inches across, made up of as many as 25 petals, tightly arranged into a gorgeous fully-double bloom – just like the best florist’s gardenias. They are pure white when they open, gradually turning darker shades of cream to creamy-yellow over several days. They release the wonderful sweet smell of gardenias, that everyone loves, which drifts across your garden. The spent blooms drop neatly, leaving the bush clean and always attractive.

Using the Double Mint Gardenia in Your Garden

The size and form of this shrub makes it ideal for growing in shrub beds, alone or in groups. Use it as a rounded accent at the corners, or place it beside a path, where its fragrance and beauty can be enjoyed close up. Plant it beneath a window to let the fragrance drift indoors, or grow it beside a door. As it grows in similar conditions, it is perfect to combine with azaleas and camellias. In zones 8 and 9 it is perfect in planters and pots, always looking lovely on your patio or porch.

Hardiness

The Double Mint Gardenia has good winter hardiness, without leaf drop or yellowing, all through zone 7. It also takes the heat of warmer zones, all the way into Texas northern Florida.

Sun Exposure and Soil Conditions

The best light exposure for the Double Mint Gardenia is morning sun and afternoon shade. In zone 7 it would also grow in full sun, if the soil is not too dry. It will grow in light full shade as well, such as from deciduous trees, or on the north side of your home. The ideal soil is moist but well-drained and acidic, with lime-free organic materials added when you prepare the bed, and as mulch. For planters use potting soil for acid-loving plants.

Maintenance and Pruning

The key to success with gardenias is even watering – not too wet and not too dry. Feed regularly with fertilizer for camellias and rhododendrons. If you do see any seed pods developing, snip them off, but regular dead-heading is not needed. The natural compact form means no particular need to trim, but if you do want to keep your plants super-neat, trim as soon as the spring flowering is over. Later trimming will remove flower buds, reducing both the fall blooms and those for next spring. If the soil is suitable and you keep your plants moist and fed then pests or diseases will rarely be seen – and deer don’t eat gardenias.

History and Origin of the Double Mint Gardenia

The gardenia, Gardenia jasminoides, is found growing naturally through Asia, from India to Vietnam and into Southern China, Japan and Korea. It has been grown in gardens of the South and Texas for a long time. Wild plants have single blooms, but forms with double flowers are the most popular. Back in the 1980s Charles J. Hayes, who lived in North Carolina, made a break-through when he found a seedling gardenia that was much more cold-hardy, sun-resistant and very suitable for garden growing. It was named ‘Chuck Hayes’. Around 2010 Josh Kardos and Michael Dirr, horticulturists at the University of Georgia, collected seed from plants of ‘Chuck Hayes’, looking for repeat-blooming plants. They succeeded, and one of the seedlings they grew not only bloomed in fall, but it didn’t yellow at all over winter – a big improvement. They patented their plant in 2013 with the name ‘Double Mint’, and it has been released by Bailey Nurseries under their First Editions® brand of top-quality new plants.

Buying the Double Mint Gardenia at the Tree Center

When the well-known plant expert Michael Dirr is involved in a new plant, you can be sure it has been carefully tested, and really is a significant improvement over older varieties. That’s why we are confident you will love the Double Mint Gardenia. Top-quality new plants sell out fast, so order now while we can still satisfy your order.

Growing the Little Daisy Gardenia

Size and Appearance

Little Daisy Gardenia is a small evergreen shrub growing to just 18 or 24 inches tall, and spreading to 2 or 3 feet wide. It is densely-branched, so it is always bushy and attractive, never becoming gaunt, thin and unsightly. The leathery leaves are a wonderful rich emerald green, holding that color through all the seasons, and they are smoothly oval to lance-shaped, 1½ to 2 inches long and about 1 inch wide. That strong coloring is held in full sun and in shade too, making this one of the most ‘evergreen’ of plants.

Flowering begins in spring and continues through early summer, often repeating in early fall – month after month of blooms. Each flower is at least 2 inches across, with 6 flat petals and a tight yellow center, looking indeed like a daisy, but with thick, velvety petals and a smaller center. Six elegantly curved stamens spreading out from the center complete the picture. At first the flowers are pure white and as they age they gradually turn creamy yellow, each one lasting 2 or 3 days before dropping neatly, leaving the bush always tidy. Flowering is profuse, especially at the beginning, with every stem crowded with delicious blooms – and let’s not forget that wonderful, wonderful gardenia fragrance, the stuff of the very best perfumes.

Using the Little Daisy Gardenia in Your Garden

The combination of evergreen leaves and long flowering makes this plant ideal for every garden. Use it as an edging along paths in both sun and partial shade, or anywhere in the foreground of your beds – you can’t have too much of it. Fill blank spots, and use it in the smallest garden without fear of it outgrowing the limited space. In zones 8 to 10 it can also be grown in planters and boxes, for terraces and if you don’t even have a garden at all.

Hardiness

The Little Daisy Gardenia is completely cold-hardy from zone 7 and also resists the heat of places like Texas through the summer. In zone 6 it should be grown in full sun, in a warm sheltered place.

Sun Exposure and Soil Conditions

The Little Daisy Gardenia is very adaptable to different light conditions, growing either in full sun or partial shade. Generally, as you move into warmer zones, afternoon shade becomes beneficial and even necessary to prevent scorching and bud-drop. Too much sun can also limit later flowering if you are growing in the hottest zones. Although pretty easy to grow, this plant does need some attention to the soil, doing best in moist, well-drained acidic soils with added lime-free organic materials mixed into the soil and used as mulch. In planters, use soil for acid-loving plants. Dry soils, and alkaline ones, are not tolerated well.

Maintenance and Pruning

Regular watering is the key to success, keeping the ground evenly moist but not wet. Always allow the soil to dry just a little between watering, but don’t let it become significantly dry. This variety of gardenia doesn’t produce seed, so dead-heading isn’t needed and the flowers drop naturally. If you want to trim, do it after the main flowering period is over, leaving plenty of time for new growth to develop before winter comes. Flower buds for the next year develop in fall, so trimming late will prevent that happening. Pests and diseases can sometimes be seen, but good watering, regular fertilizing with food for camellias and rhododendrons, and suitable soil, make those problems much less likely.

History and Origin of the Little Daisy Gardenia

The gardenia, Gardenia jasminoides, was once known as Gardenia augusta, and that name is still sometimes used by growers. This distant relative of the coffee bush grows naturally throughout much of Asia, and it can be found from India and Bangladesh through Vietnam and Myanmar into Southern China, Japan and Korea. It was brought to Europe in the middle of the 18th century where it became a popular greenhouse plant, but in America it has been grown outdoors in the South and Texas for a long time. There have been many varieties created, and generally the double-flowered forms seen in florists as more difficult to grow outdoors than the more natural types with single flowers.

Robert H. Head is a horticulturist working in Seneca, South Carolina, who specializes in developing new plant varieties. In 2010 he spotted an unusually compact plant among a group of plants of the older variety ‘Daisy’. That plant is known for its cold-resistance and repeat flowering. The new plant Robert found had all that, but on a more compact bush. In 2019 his company, Head’s Select Inc., patented it with the name ‘RLH-GA1`. It has been licensed for propagation to Greenleaf Nursery Company, who have released it under their Garden Debut® brand, with the very appropriate trademark name of Little Daisy.

Buying the Little Daisy Gardenia at the Tree Center

It is wonderful to have this smaller version of the classic ‘Daisy’ variety available – it’s just as reliable and just as long-blooming. If you thought gardenia was only for the warmest states, think again and grow the Little Daisy Gardenia. You will be thrilled, but order now, as this great new variety is proving incredibly popular.

Growing ScentAmazing Gardenias

One of the newest and best of these smaller varieties is the ScentAmazing Gardenia. It grows into a dense, small bush about 3 feet tall and across, fitting perfectly into any small garden, directly in the ground, or in a planter. It has thick, glossy and rich-green leaves that are lance-shaped. These cover the shrub completely, from top to bottom, creating a unique dense, mounded structure. This is one of the most compact and densely branched gardenias available, and it needs no trimming to keep its perfect form.

Appearance

The flowers of ScentAmazing are not the common double gardenia flowers, with many petals. Instead the flowers are perfect white stars made of six rounded petals, with a yellow center that radiates out 6 narrow yellow strands, like a tiny star within a bigger, white star. The flowers are large, a full 2 inches across, and born in profusion, so that the bush can be completely covered in flowers, almost hiding the foliage.

Pests and Diseases

The flowers are much more durable and resistant to disease than the double forms, which are prone to decay and may fall from the plant before even opening. This, and the generally strength and resistance of the plant, make the ScentAmazing Gardenia very disease tolerant.

Perfume

Unlike some other single gardenias, this flower floods perfume into the air, as strongly as any double variety. Flowering begins in spring, and then from late spring to fall it will alternately rest, then return with another covering of blooms. This creates several flowering cycles a year, a great advance on the ‘once a year’ flowering of other varieties. As the flowers fade, remove them by cutting the stem one leaf below the flower. Cut back to just above the next leaf. This will encourage quicker and more prolific re-blooming.

Hardiness

The ScentAmazing Gardenia grows well throughout zone 7, and through all the warmer zones. It will grow throughout the south, as far north as Delaware in the east, and up the west coast to the Canadian border. Many people can grow gardenias, who thought they couldn’t. Choose a sheltered spot, away from wind, in a partially-shaded spot in your garden. The ideal location has sun in the morning and shade in the afternoon, especially during the hottest months. This will protect it from burning and make it easy for your plant to thrive.

Soil Conditions

It does best in moist, acidic soil with plenty of organic material in it. If you don’t have suitable soil, or you want to be able to bring your ScentAmazing Gardenia onto a terrace or inside your porch, then grow it in a pot, using soil for acid-loving plants. In a pot, of course, it can be grown in much cooler zones, simply by providing some shelter during the winter months in a well-lit place. These kinds of gardenia are much easier to grow than the sensitive, over-sheltered plants sold by florists.

History and Origins of the ScentAmazing Gardenia

The gardenia (Gardenia jasminoides), which is also sometimes called Cape Jasmine, can be found growing wild in India and all the way into Vietnam, southern China and to Japan. The Chinese have been growing it for a thousand years, enjoying its fragrance and beauty, and it was first grown in America in Charleston, South Carolina in 1761. This was by a naturalist called Dr. Alexander Garden, who had been sent a plant by his botanist friend, John Ellis. It grew well there, and Ellis named the new plant after Dr. Garden. It became very popular in the South and was once grown commercially for the corsages worn by ladies at Southern balls.

The ScentAmazing Gardenia was developed by Robert Edward Lee, in the town of Independence, Louisiana. This is a small town north of New Orleans, and there Robert was working to develop improved forms of gardenia. He grew some seeds he had produced from a variety called ‘Daisy’, and among the seedlings one stood out as special. He found it in October 2000, and spend years testing it, and trialing it with other growers until he was satisfied that he really did have something special. So special indeed, that in January 2017 he was granted a patent on his new plant.

Buying ScentAmazing Gardenias at The Tree Center

Our ScentAmazing Gardenia plants are grown under license for Robert Edward Lee, from carefully selected stem pieces. They are guaranteed to be this exact variety, which is officially called ‘Leetwo’. There is a lot of interest in gardenias, and we know that such a beautiful new variety as this will not be in stock with us for long. Order now and fill your garden with beauty and fragrance for month after month. If you like this plant then make sure to check out other varieties of gardenia that we stock, including the Frost Proof Gardenia and the August Beauty Gardenia.

It grows into a small shrub 2 to 3 feet tall, and rounded, growing 2 to 3 feet across. This makes it ideal for a smaller garden, or for growing in pots, when it can be moved around the garden to enjoy its perfume everywhere. You can even make a low hedge with this plant. To keep it flowering, only prune in early spring, just when the weather begins to warm. Flowers are produced continuously from June to October, so throughout the ‘outdoor’ months you will have this beautiful plant in flower. Even when not flowering, Kleim’s Hardy Gardenia is beautiful, with its glossy, rich-green evergreen foliage giving structure and permanence to your shrub arrangements.

Growing Kleim’s Hardy Gardenias

Although sometimes thought difficult, gardenias are actually easy to grow if you create the right conditions and follow a few simple rules. Choose a sheltered spot, away from wind, in a partially shaded location. The ideal spot has morning sun and afternoon shade, especially during the hottest months, so choose the location with care. Gardenias like an acid soil (pH below 6.0), so test you soil and add plenty of lime-free organic material when preparing the planting spot. Well-rotted pine-bark is ideal, but other composts are also suitable. Even if you find your soil is not acidic enough, you can still grow Kleim’s Hardy Gardenia by using a special fertilizer called chelated iron, which you water onto your plant and soil in spring and again in late summer. This will keep the leaves a rich, dark green, and your plant strong, healthy and flowering well.

Alternatively, plant your gardenia in a container, using potting soil for acid-loving plants. Gardenias make great pot plants, and a plant in a container is also easy to move around to get the correct amount of sun exposure. In a pot, it can also be brought inside when the temperatures are too low, even if you only have an unheated porch for shelter.

Care and Maintenance

Mulch Kleim’s Hardy Gardenia in spring with pine bark, compost or peat-moss and keep it well-watered. Gardenias like plenty of water, so never let the soil become dry around your plant. Water whenever the soil begins to dry on the surface, but don’t water your plant so much that it is constantly in wet soil. Use a fertilizer for acid-loving plants, applied in early spring and again 6 weeks later, or use a liquid gardenia fertilizer according to the directions. Do not fertilize in late summer or fall, as new growth will be more susceptible to frost.

Once that delicious perfume wafts across your garden from your gardenia bush, this little bit of work will seem like nothing. Kleim’s Hardy Gardenia is a wonderful plant and we regularly receive new stock to ship the best plants to our customers. Because if its unique hardiness, the demand for this wonderful plant is high, so order now or you could easily be disappointed later.

History and Origins of the Kleim’s Hardy Gardenia

Gardenias have been a part of Southern gardens for over 250 years, when plants were brought to Charleston, South Carolina from their natural home in China. Their name is American too, because the botanist John Ellis had the plant named after his friend and fellow naturalist Dr. Alexander Garden, who had a medical practice in Charleston and grew the plant as early as 1761. The gardenia (gardenia jasminoides), is also called the Cape Jasmine, and it grows wild from India into Vietnam and southern China, as well as in Japan. The Chinese people have grown these plants for a thousand years, to enjoy their fragrance and beauty.

However, these plants are usually only hardy to zone 8, so if you live in colder areas you cannot have their delicious fragrance wafting across your garden. Now there is an answer for those who live as far north as Virginia and Delaware, with Kleim’s Hardy Gardenia. This plant was discovered by Don Kleim of the Henderson Experimental Garden in California. He introduced it specifically for colder areas, and it is a real favorite with gardenia lovers in colder parts of the country. Even if your garden is too cold in winter for this variety, you can grow it in a container and bring it into a porch or cold room during the coldest weather, and grow it outdoors for the rest of the year.

Kleim’s Hardy Gardenia is a special selection of the ordinary gardenia, so it must be propagated in the correct way to preserve its hardiness. Our bushes are grown from branch cuttings taken directly from correctly-identified plants. Each one is always identical to the original. These take longer to produce, and cheaper gardenias will only be a disappointment, as they will not be this very special variety.