How to grow gardenias

Gardénia Pétale ​Van Clef Arpels 

Fragrance is one of the great delights of a summer garden and gardenias are a beautiful, sweet-smelling way to up the aromas! 

Gardenia is named after Alexander Garden, an 18th century Scottish botanist who lived in South Carolina, studying plants and animals for much of his life. The scent of gardenia maintains a perfect balance between seduction and softness. Perhaps this is why the symbolism of this Chinese flower has fluctuated so much. In the Victorian tradition, it was an emblem of refinement and tradition, an idea that contrasts starkly with Billie Holiday's wearing gardenias in her hair before performing, heralding the new era of "spicy" music. 
​
​Its typical white flower fragrance is opulent, creamy, tuberose-like but greener, with a sharp metallic point, and is often used as a middle note in bouquets. In reality, though, the scent we enjoy in perfumes does not come from its natural extract, but is reproduced through key synthetics such as stytalyl acetate for the green note and lactones for the creamy side.

Gardenia Flower

Renowned for being one of the most fragrant flowers, these bushy white flowering shrubs are best planted near entertaining areas or entrances to experience the full effect of their fragrance.

How to grow gardenias
If you want to continue the white scheme in the garden, match gardenias with impatiens (annual) or Chinese Jasmine (climber) and your garden will be full of white blooms throughout summer! Need more reasons to love this beauty? It’s evergreen so no bare stems in winter. 

When do gardenias bloom?
They come into bloom in late spring and continue to bloom prolifically throughout summer. Gardenias also root easily from cuttings, so you can have a full plant in half the time. 

How to care for gardenias
Soil:Gardenias prefer well-draining soil. Before planting, enrich the soil with well-decomposed organic matter. if gardenias are planted in soil that is too alkaline, they are likely to yellow - but this is treatable.
Aspect: Gardenias will thrive in full sun to semi-shaded areas where many other flowering shrubs won’t. 
Climate: Gardenia prefers a humid, very bright environment.
Water : Water regularly in spring and summer. 
Fertilizer: Hold off on the fertiliser and let the potting mix barely dry between waterings in autumn and winter. Protect it from hot and cold drafts. Then in summer, feed with a fertiliser that promotes flowering. Use a fertiliser that is formulated for acid-loving plants such as azaleas.  
Pruning: Gardenias can easily become leggy, so you might need to tip prune or hard prune in the winter to allow for bushier growth.

Carying for your Gardenia

How to grow gardenias in pots
Growing gardenias in pots can be handy during winter, as they are a bloom that doesn't take well to frost and will do better indoors, so long as you provide the right conditions. 
When planting gardenias in a pot, make sure it has good drainage. Gardenias like acidic soil, and a quick trick to increase this is by adding coffee grounds to your soil.
Gardenias like moisture but don’t like to be in standing water. Put them near a humidifier, in bright light, but not direct sun, or use a mister to give them some humidity. 
Take care of your gardenias and they will love you for it! You will love the copious blooms and magnificent fragrances.

How do you keep gardenias blooming?
If your gardenias aren’t blooming, they might need a good feed. It takes a lot of energy to bloom, so make sure you’re fertilising them regularly. 

Garden pests
Gardenias are subject to many different types of pests, including aphids, mealybug and scale. Something all of these insects have in common is they are sap-sukers. As they feed on the plant they secrete something called honey dew which causes sooty mould. Here’s our guide to getting rid of common garden pests. ​​