i would think that those gardenia's need the same soil, water and light conditions as any. they are only cultivars of the species. i grow 'daisy' and it is almost columnar in appearance with single, daisy-like flowers. 'mystery' has grown into a more rounded shrub, as tall as it is wide. the flowers are large in the traditional gardenia form. both are very fragrant.
'august beauty' will rebloom for me in late summer with a small flush, nothing like the may-flowering period. its flowers are smaller than 'mystery, as are the leaves.
there is a camellia forum for this site. i post over there occasionally and i grow quite a few. don't think they'll make good landscape plants in zone 5 so i assume you will grow as a houseplant. can't offer any adivse on that type of environment but maybe someone on that forum can.
they grow beautifully here and this is peak season for the japonicas- it is our state flower!
i bought a new one two weekends ago that was labeled as "fragrant". don't believe everything you read. ;-) it might have a scent(floral musky) but it is not nicely fragrant to me.

Jeff, thanks for your help.. My order should be here today.
Which of the Gardenias do you think prettiest? Largest flower? Most fragrant?
There was a problem with the Mystery's so I won't be getting that guy..darn..I never heard of Mystery let alone seen one.
Do you grow 'denias in pots or the ground?

About 15 yrs ago, someone gave me a tree-shaped Camellia. It stood about 5' tall, and grew the prettiest pink, double flowers. I had it 3-4 yrs, yes, in a container, (you're right, Jeff, Cams aren't hardy in z5) until one summer. I set it outside, same spot it'd gone the previous years, when it died. I first thought sunburn, but after researching Camellias, I discovered they don't like wet feet. That summer we got a LOT of rain. I would bet it got root rot or some such problem. I felt horrible.
The flowers had a faint scent, but that was long ago, I don't recall what they smelled like.
I imagine most people on the Camellia forum grow in the ground, right?

Camellias are Alabamas state flower? Guess that means they are hardy..BTW, Alabama is one gorgeous state, Jeff.
A friend and I were discussing different states a couple nights ago, got to AL, and found we both loved it there..
My dh and I were in GA, (son was in Ft. Benning, GA for boot camp) in 2001, stopped in AL to have lunch, at a Cracker Barrel..lol..The air was fresh, people friendly, sky blue, and nice, warm temps, with a hint of humidity. Perfect.
When we flew back to Il, looking out the window, there were white patches on the ground about 15 mins before landing.. Springfield, Il's capital, got 6" of snow the night before..When we walked outside the airport, it was freezing! I wanted to hop back on a plane and head south..lol.

Jeff, would you say Camellias need acidic soil? What about fertilizer? I probably should go to the Camellia forum, but since I don't know anyone there, well, now you, lol, I feel uncomfortable..lol...Thanks, Toni

Hi Toni,

How are you doing? Hope all is well with you and your plants...

I really don't have much advise,LOL... except I just wanted to say Congrats on all those beautiful plants that you will be getting soon!!

I have always wondered if Camellia would do well here in FL? If you have a plant book handy...if you don't mind can you please let me know if my zone 9...is recommended? How low of temps can they be kept outside...full sun or part shade?

Thanks Toni and good luck with all your new plants!!
Oh, post some pics when you get them.

honestly, i can't detect a difference in fragrance of any of them. they all have that same distinctive fragrance of gardenia.
'mystery' has the largest flower of any that i grow but there are other cultivars that are said to be larger, 'miami supreme' being one of them.
all of mine are in the ground. they are hardy here (lately, but i have heard that local temps dropped to near zero before i moved here and that kind of cold will at least take them back to the roots if not kill them outright)
all of my camellias are also in the ground. they should be treated similarly to rhododendrons/azaleas with acidic soil, protected from harsh sun and not planted in wet sites.
see the link below for cultural information. feel free to ask questions on the camellia forum. many helpful folk visit that one and you can also check out the gallery for some "temptation". :-)
here are thumbnails of some that i cut last weekend.
{{gwi:787052}}
the 2 ruffled red ones are 'kramer's supreme'. they are large (about 4") and lightly fragrant with sweet almost- citrus scent.
i have posted this pic below of 'c.m. wilson' several times on other forums. one of the most beautiful, to me.
{{gwi:516168}}

btw, auburn is about 45 min. from columbus, ga, where you were visiting. lots of tatoo parlors and "gentlemen's clubs" for the servicemen. *har*

Here is a link that might be useful: camellia culture

Hey Pug...I'm okay, waiting for summer..lol..The last two days, temps were in the 70's, yesterday near 80! The sun bright, air fresh, humidity high...gotta love summer.
I was born in the wrong state..lol
Today, temps are in the 50's and cloudy. My Gardenia and Optunia camped outside 24 hours..it's like playing lotto.

How have you been? Soaking up Fl's sunshine? Pug, I can check my books, but I truly think you'd get better advice checking with, like Jeff said, the Camilla forum.
Are you shy going to a new site? I am..lol.
Wait, have you ever been to the Fl forum? I go there to read what Floridians have to say and browse their beautiful photos. I am 'green' with envy..lol

Most of my plant books discuss plants in general. There isn't any reference whether or not 'x' plant will grow in any particular state.
If you're embarrassed going to Floria/Camellia forums, lol, Jeff seems to know a lot..look at his Camellias...Wow!

My order arrived, took pics, dl'ed to desktop and Flickr. I'll send pics of groups, and the Camellia. I am very pleased with Almost Eden's plants..he ships the best..pics don't do justice, but they're really nice, and his prices fantastic.
Do I sound like an ad? lol.
Pug, how's the pugs? lol..Everything okay?

Jeff, your Camellias are fantastic! Flowers are huge, and the colors outstanding. Are those you posted double flowers? One more question. Do flowers grow larger as plant matures?
Apparently, you don't care for their scent...Could it be your sniffer? lol. Seriously, some people dislike certain scents. My father hated, what he called, flower odor. Think he was referring to Easter Lily..he said they reminded him of funerals..
You said, Kramers smell almost like citrus? Do you not like citrus flowers?

Grow like an Azalea..that'll work. So far, my Azaleas, 'though odorless,' are fine. They need repotting, so, when they get new homes, Camellia will be potted in the same mediums/soil. Thanks for the link.
Jeff, do you amend soil where Camellias are planted? (in the ground) If so, what do you use?
What type of soil does AL have? Sandy, clay, etc?

Gentlemen's clubs and tatoo parlors? NO??? lolol..Really? Perhaps it's in the eye of the beholder, I saw beauty. We drove a ways into AL, but don't remember what city/town we were in.
The area in GA was, well, a place I wouldn't want to walk around at night, but for the most part, GA was gorgeous. We went to a zoo where animals walks up to your car..the zoo sells food, so you get to feed the daring wildlife that approachs a vehicle. We had a great time.

Okay, well, thanks again..a few pics..Toni

Pug, if you read this, forgot to ask. Did you say you have an Olive tree?

Thanks Toni,

Duh...I should have thought of going to the Fl forum, LOL...I'm there all the time. I guess I just thought I would ask here. I will do some searches on the Fl forum first and if I can't find the info I need I will post a question, thanks for suggestion, I should have thought of it myself...the mind is the first to go...

I'm okay! Max the pug is quite happy...getting a little fatter everyday, lol...I need to put him on some type of exercise, but these dogs don't do well with heat, so I have to keep the excercise to a minimum...

Toni, I used to have a bonsai Olive tree many years ago, since has passed away...accidentally got left in the freeze, long story. Never recovered, but I did love it when I had it!

Your plants look wonderful, you did very well!!

Tell me about it..the mind is the first to go..lol

Sheesh, your Max sounds like my Coco...What do we do? I don't believe in sceinfic foods so that's out. Coco isn't obese, he's actually all muscle, but weighs a lot more than a Shih tzu should..
Let Max run through your huge yard..run with him..lol..if he sees mom running, he'll do the same.

Do you remember if your olive tree flowers were fragrant? And/or, how long the whole bud to flower, to olive process took? For the first time, after all these years, my Olive has buds..tons of buds. But I cannot detect any scent. Is it my nose or are its flowers odor-less?
Last night, when temps were still in the 70's, I took pics..lol..
The olive is planted in Alfalfa..What do you think? Toni

Hey Toni,

I LOVE your Olive tree...btw, I should have mentioned that my bonsai olive tree was a dwarf, It had very small flowers, but I never saw any olives form. Not sure if it was the type of plant or just wasn't mature enough to fruit, but by the looks of yours...my leaves were much smaller than yours, I'm sure because it was a dwarf variety. I really like your plant, its really cool looking!! If I ever see another dwarf one, I would love to try and bonsai it again...but so far I haven't one.

Unfortunately, my yard isn't fenced, so I can't just let him off the leash and run. We have a leash law here...plus this dog is so silly, he has sneaked out an open door and he runs away from you when you call him. He loves to explore other people's yards, lol...I have to chase him down. I'm very careful not to leave any of the doors open. I am so afraid he will get hit by a car. I tried playing with him inside the house, but he doesn't have a whole lot of energy. Five minutes and he's all pooped out, lol...

Pug, I didn't know there were dwarf olive trees..when you say dwarf, what size are we talking? Height?
I once grew Natal Plum in a bonsai container..Pug, that little plant flowered and produced fruit. Astonishing. Because I feared it'd dry too much when outside in summer, I repotted in a regular pot. Since then, it hasn't bloomed or fruited..wonder why??? Natal plum is 4-5 yrs old..
You said your olive/bonsai flowered, do you remember if flowers were fragrant?
I had to browse my plant journal on type of olive. It's Olea europaea 'Arbequina'..is that dwarf or standard?

Thanks for the compliment..Today, I received two plants from HI...Oh Pug, I'm in heaven..one is Dracaena goldiana, the other Calathea louisiae, 'Tiger'..
Both are gorgeous, (especially the Dracaena) but this buying has to STOP. lol This time, I AM serious.

Pug, I thought Pugs were high-energy? No? You mentioned Max has a weight problem, maybe excess weight is holding him back?
When we bought this house it didn't have a fence either. At the time, we had a Rott, Cujo. We had to have a fence installed. Cujo hated living here, he wanted to move back to Chicago..lol..He grew up in the same home for 12 yrs, then, moving here, even though there's much more room, he didn't like it. He started misbehaving. His personality changed. For spite, he started 'going' in the house, especially the basement stairs..I can't tell you the number of times, dh was readying for work, had to go in the basement to grab something, and stepped on Cujo's do-do. lol..talk about angry! lol..to wake in the morning and stop on poop! lol..The sad thing was, just past his 12th b-day, the vets found he had cancer.

Perhaps once Max loses weight, he'll be on the go..then you'll really have to hunt him down when he runs in ppl's yards..lol..you know what they say, 'the grass is always greener, ' lol. Toni

Hey Toni,

I am not expert on Olive trees, lol...I've only had one, and it was sold to me by the nursery as a Dwarf, but who knows. I told her I wanted to try to shape it like a Bonsai and that's what she talked me into. I posted a picture below of what it used to look like when I had it several years ago, like I said the freeze got it a long time ago, so I no longer have it...Maybe its not even an olive tree? But the nursery told me it was? I don't remember the flowers on mine being fragrant, but come to think of it I don't really remember smelling it? They were pretty tiny flowers...makes me wonder if it was an olive tree now?

Well, about Max...pugs are known to be pretty hyper, but in their own terms. When he gets excited, he can get pretty rambunseious when he sets his mind. But his attention span is short. The thing about pugs is because of their pushed in noses...they have breathing problems, one of the reasons, they really can't take too much exercise. He is not obese...just a couple of pounds overweight, but he is also pure muscle and very strong!

Funny story of the basement poop Toni! I know how it must have felt stepping on that first thing in the morning...funny, but not really, LOL...

Max says Hi to Coco...

Hey Toni,

Here is the picture of my bonsai Dwarf Olive tree? taken several years ago...Sorry its blurry , but I actually took a picture of "a picture" ...before I had a digital camera

Here is a link that might be useful: {{gwi:787051}}

Looks like a black olive.

Thanks Ankraras for the ID!! At least I know that it was a real olive!Like I said it was sold to me as a dwarf olive...I wish I can find another one!

Toni
Toni,

WOW!!

NICE!!!

If spending money on those beautiful plants makes you happy,then by all means keep it up! lol

I can sense the excitement in your post, and I love it.

I too want to buy another gardenia to replace the one I lost. I am also getting another meyer lemon.

I went to Logees again this weekend! I wish I had read the thread on " Fragrant Houseplants" before I went..Shoot!
Of course I came out of there on clouds and a couple more plants happier...

I so much want to hear you do well with your denias.
In fact all of your new plants. You know the plants that top the list for me..I too want to see how you do with them..

Your plants are so beautiful. I am going to have to post some of the only denia in a pot bigger than 6 inches soon that I have. It opened flowers for me finally....

I am wondering what kind of answers you're going to get to your questions. They are really good ones. I will be watching...

Take care everyone..

Hi puglvr1!!

It is good to see you all doing well.:-)

Hi Toni!

Hey, I don't have any good advice on how to care for the gardenias (other than ignore them and hope they don't sense that you want them to grow and flower), but I want to wish you the best of luck with them! I hope they do wonderfully for you and bloom their little heads off, all of them! :D

I shook my fist at my gardenia the other day and started swearing at it..through clenched teeth I said, "Go ahead and DIE you stupid $#@#@$ plant, I'll just get another one, you...you...$$#$#@@!@#$#!!!! Ha ha ha!

Howdy..
I went to the doc Fri, then stopped at my sisters. All of a sudden I got sick..stomach flu sick. Someone was watching me on the fairly long drive home..All weekened I didn't do much, other than sleep.

Pug your olive is/was beautiful. How often did you water? Caring for bonsias is a task. Did you olive ever flower?
Also, did you ever prune its roots?
I have two plants growing in bonsai pots..A Richsiana Begonia and Pony Tail. Both have been in these pots at least 3 years, never got a prune cut..Do I clip roots? This is a big fear, then again, I don't want to lose either plant..The pony tail can 'probably' get by some time, but the begonia is growing larger, its trunk thicker. Begonia got a hair cut a month ago. New growth is forming, and soon/hopefully flowers.

Sam and Coco said, 'Max, hi yourselves.' Sam did the talking since he speaks English. :)

Hey Mike..how you doing? So, you went back to Logees? Wow, bet you got some beautiful plants?? Which plants followed you home? lol.

It's almost 70F degrees today, so my tree gardenia is outside, getting fresh air and sun. Hope it stays warm..can't wait to get plants out, and repot everything..fresh soil for those that don't need bigger pots.

All new plants got a dose of Superthrive and some fresh soil, but haven't repotted any..have to start another thread about pots..lol..Toni

Merciepoo, if your gardenias could only talk back..lollolol
Did you ever hear a macaw/parrot swear. Macaws have strong lungs, and sometimes sqwak their heads off. People get angry, and swear..oops, the macaw talks back, repeating the word/s.
Our macaw had quite a vocabulary. He knew the F word by heart..he even tried giving the 'bird' or in his case, the claw.'
Watch out your gardenias don't give you the leaf..lol..hugs, Toni