Gardenia

I agree! i used to have a hardy one but it wasn't hardy!! Bet you live in just the right country for them?

Lulu my garden has way too much sun for these plants. This one gets the right amount of shade and sun...the one in the garden doesn't seem to be doing anything (need to move it). My third one needs to be moved as well (too sunny where it is)...it hasn't given me a single flower this summer.

what about indoors?

or is it indoors!!!

No...all three of them are outdoors. They bloom better outdoors, you just have to find the right spot. This is the second time this has bloomed for me...there are loads of buds on it. Ahhh the smell. It's near my front door.

lovely!

One of my favourite all time flowers...Lucky you!

Mine too Pimpernel.
I met a lady a while ago in NY that had four huge Gardenia plants growing on her balcony....you could call them large shrubs/small trees. I just sat there looking at them...amazed.

Alexandramou:

I love Gardenia! Yours looks gorgeous! I've had bad luck with them here in San Diego...even though I've seen very large, beautiful ones here.

Hhmmm, I wonder why?
I would love to have a very large Gardenia. Mine got trampled by my dog last year when he was a puppy!!!

Gardenia shrubs hate our hard water. They don't particularly like our soil, either. They love acidic soil; we have alkaline soil here.

Ah! You can always grow one in a pot and use bottled or rain water.

They do grow in the ground in some places and look very good. I used to grow mine in almost pure redwood bark...they do exceptional well in planted like this.

How gorgeous...:)))

Oh, I agree. My favorite flower.

It's so perfect looking...

Thanks Marguerite. I would love to have loads and loads of this plant.
I will answer to your other comments later on. Need to go to a kiddies birthday party now....oh my aching head. ;o)