WOW! So many gardenias. I have never even seen a gardenia set seed before. I would love to grow some seedlings for testing, but I don't think I qualify for cold testing since I live in So Cal. I would however, also love to grow some for selecting good characteristics (perhaps better and stronger fragrance, more flower power, or more doubleness).

This is so awesome, I have never been able to germinate a gardenia before. Where did you get your seeds? How long it took to germinate?

Thanks for sharing.

Thank you all. Check this thread.
http://forums.gardenweb.com/forums/load/fragrant/msg0512254729036.html?3

About germination for gardenias. I believe they key is for the seed to be completely dry. If you plant while wet it will not germinate until the soil dries completely. Best just to let seed dry before planting as then it will germinate within a few weeks.

1) I could dump them all in my parents yard. Don't think they'll stand for it though.
2) I could call some local companies that have fields and see if they would be interested. I've also thought about seeing if the city parks dept. might be interested.
3) There's been a new highway built near me that has some large excavated hillsides that wouldn't get mowed (guerilla gardening).

I don't think I would want to mail them...I would like to find someone interested local, as in East TN. Plus I would like to get an air layering off the most cold hardy.

my first thought was an arboretum. you might also contact the horticulture department at a university like tennessee at knoxville. if that is your state's land grant university, i think they should be interested. i know that auburn university has an extensive testing system for agriculture/horticulture plant development and breeding in my area (auburn, al) and also test plots scattered about the state.