Gardenia
Beloved for their intoxicating fragrance and attractive, waxy, creamy-white flowers contrasting beautifully with their shiny, leathery, dark green leaves, Gardenias are irresistible heat-loving evergreen shrubs or trees. Native to the tropical and subtropical regions of Africa, southern Asia, Australasia and Oceania, Gardenias are not the easiest shrubs to grow, but their exquisite fragrant flowers make up for the extra attention they require. Gardenia plants usually grow from 2 to 12 ft tall and wide (60 – 360 cm), depending on the variety. Blooming profusely over a long period of time extending from mid-spring to late summer or even fall, Gardenia flowers may be solitary or in small clusters, single, semi-double or double. Gardenia plants are well suited for containers, raised beds, hedges, espaliers, screens, borders, ground covers or as specimen plants. Plant your Gardenias near a deck or window where you can enjoy the divine flowers' fragrance!