My local Whole Foods and Trader Joe’s appear to have recently split a shipment of beautiful potted gardenias, and they both had them for sale a couple of weeks ago. Drunk with the intoxicating scent, I impulsively bought one.
In hindsight, I wouldn’t exactly have called it a great idea – but it was only $8.99 so I won’t grieve too long, and I did get about two solid days of good smell in my kitchen before trouble set in. I’m still not sure how much that is worth? But I do know I could have had very similar blooms – for much longer if I’d have opted instead for Double white Impatiens.
Can you really Grow Gardenias in the North?
I’ve been having a tough time adjusting to the ‘just right’ care that doesn’t cause potted gardenias to revolt and drop all their leaves. It is more than a little fussy, but it is to be expected, I suppose… they are meant to be grown outside, in a damp, shady area in a nearly tropical climate – and this is New England in my kitchen, after all.
In the future, I will try in the future not to be such a sucker for that smell – Im not sure the hassle is worth it.
Beyond that smell, I was also seduced by those beautiful mini rose-like flowers resembling velvet. The purity and texture of gardenia flowers are why they are among the most requested blooms for wedding bouquets.
If you can grow them (i.e., you live in Florida, southern California, or some other lighter and warmer environment than the Northeast), you should.
But if you live where I live, I’d like to save you some hassle and money and encourage you to just pick up some vastly less expensive and more durable double white Impatiens. And then spend your savings on a really nice candle that smells like flowers. I love Diptyque candles – they are worth the money – and there is one that is gardenia flavored.
Do you want to grow Double white impatiens (instead of gardenia)?
Rockapulco White Impatiens look very similar to the gardenia and, having grown Impatiens in the most unforgiving of gardens, I am confident that they will not put on such airs of leaf dropping drama at the slightest hint of dryness.
I haven’t always been a champion of Impatiens, but with experience, I have come to love some of the softer colors and double blooms, as they really are just about the most reliable shade bloomers I’ve ever grown. They have amazing resiliency to neglect and will literally come back from the dead in a matter of hours if you accidentally discover that you have let them perish on a hot summer day.
Impatiens are going to prefer shade – but newer varieties are bred to also tolerate substantial amounts of sun, making them a great all-around choice.
Great container Plant Partner ideas for White Impatiens
If you have a partially shady area – these are some of my picks for beautiful and stylish plant partners. I like white in a dark area – it is always more dramatic (see my own garden below). I tend to want to optimize for texture and foliage, and I always plant my plants in their own containers. Through the season and as plants peak, I enjoy moving containers of individual plants around (which I can easily do if they are not planted together), and I think that each specimen can shine better when given its own home.
To fill out a container, you will typically need more than just one of a plant. Depending on pot size and plant size, I might put as many as a dozen of something in a pot to make sure that I maximize the impact.
Plants for the Collection:
Heucherella Fun and Games ‘Hopscotch’ is a newer release; if you can’t find it, you might also try Heuchera ‘Caramel’ or another rust-colored heuchera or heucherella (which is a cross between heuchera and tiarella – that tends to make the plants tougher and more dense with foliage).
Osteospermum ‘Melon Symphony’ – along with the Impatiens – gives just enough flower interest to keep the mix sophisticated. Melon symphony is barely white and can also be difficult to find, but you can swap it out for other blush-colored flowers. Blush and White together is a color combo I don’t see often, but I love when I can achieve it. Coconut black-eyed susan vine (thunbergia alata) is another great off-white/cream-colored plant option that is also great in containers.
You can try other great foliage plants, too. I also added Coleus ‘Chocolate Drop’ because I think these sorts of mixes really need a dash of fresh green to keep things exciting. Coleus is one of my favorite plants – there is a huge selection of striking options for
And lastly, I added another perennial – Black Lace Elderberry. The Elderberry and the Heucherella will come back next year and will be a great starting point for another mix (perhaps something with blue or pink, or deep red). Alternatively, at the end of the season, I might just plant both the Heucheralla and the Shrub in the ground in the garden so that they can enjoy growing to their full potential.
Design Inspiration from the PITH + VIGOR Garden:
Hi! L O V E – Gardenias! I live in Seattle and having success with the Gardenia jasminoides ‘Kleim’s Hardy’ hardiness zone 7-11. It’s on it’s 3rd year and smells divine. We don’t get the harsh winter or the snow you have in New England, but might be worth a try.
I love having impatiens because of the beautiful colors–it adds a lot of pizazz to my garden. However, deer love them as much as I so I now only plant them inside my fenced area!