My dream flower - Hardy Gardenia

Gardenia jasminoides Chuck Hayes

Hardy Gardenia

Chuck Hayes Gardenia is proving to be probably the most hardy gardenia. With wonderfully fragrant white flowers and dark glossy green foliage, plant near a foundation and out of the wind where you can enjoy the fragrance! Gardenias, even hardy ones, are at their limits in the Delaware Valley so site them properly out of the wind and against a foundation if possible, help with pine needle or leaves as mulch for the first season.

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CHUCK HAYES gardenia, a fabulous hybrid gardenia was hybridized right across the river from Hampton , VA in Virginia Beach.  It is very winter hardy zones of 6 & 7, as KLEIN'S HARDY (right on down to O degrees but not any colder) but has the added benefit of double blooms (Klein's are single). It also blooms more with a decent repeat in the fall. Shade AND sun tolerant too. Mature height is about 4 feet. Basically your dream Gardenia.

What great news, Molineux! I'm sending this article to friends in NC who go to Herculean lengths to have gardenias, e.g., covers, pots moved from garden to shelter, etc. It's also good news for those of us who don't ordinarily have the extreme cold problem, but the fact that this one can take full sun is a huge benefit. I'm off to do some "googling" - in the meantime, do you know any mail-order sources? Thanks again. McDonald Garden Center 1139 W Pembroke Ave Hampton VA 23661-1119 757-722-7463