Archive for the ‘Gardenia’ Category

Gardenias Continue To Disappoint In The Mid-South

The lure of fragrant white flowers have mid-South gardeners (zones 6 and 7) wanting to grow gardenias (Gardenia jasminoides). New cultivars, supposedly hardier than previous ones, hit garden centers every spring. Unfortunately, zones 6 and 7 winters usually prove them wrong. Recent purchases of new cultivars ‘Frostproof’ and Pinwheel® and older selection ‘Kleim’s Hardy’ have […]

My Search Continues For A Hardy Gardenia

                The longer you garden, many plant species keep improving, including their winter hardiness. A few years ago, growing gardenias (Gardenia jasminoides) in a U.S. zone 6 garden was a dream. Today, hardy gardenias are a safe bet in zone 7 or in zone 6 in a protected area of […]

Ginkgo -Sex Education 101

Surviving an autumn season with a heavily fruited ginkgo (Ginkgo biloba) tree is a foul smelling experience. The odorous yellow fleshy fruits ripen in October and drop onto public streets and home lawns. Several times I have witnessed the Jonesborough Tennessee Fire Department raking up fallen fruit and hosing down a sidewalk too treacherous to walk […]

New Hardier Gardenias

Old fashioned gardenias or cape jasmines (Gardenia jasminoides) are reliably hardy in USDA zones 7-b and 8. Plants require immediate protection when the outdoor temperatures dip below 15 to 20 degrees. The new hardier cultivars are compact growers, 2-4 feet tall and 3-4 feet wide. ‘Frost Proof’, Crown Jewel™, and Heaven Scent™ are three promising […]