I have seen some gardenias that live around town, usually with some winter protection, but not sure of their type. We used to live in a house that had 2 huge gardenias outside the front door, you cannot beat that fragrance! I planted a small one at our new house that has some protection from winter winds, and it survived, so hopefully it will continue to grow.

My MIL had a beautiful gardenia that survived for many years with almost no care in the Midlothian area and a friend has some west of here where it's a few degrees colder. You should be fine in Glen Allen. Just make sure you buy them from a reputable dealer who knows which plants are hardy here since some are not.

I'm pretty sure it will, you might want to protect it with some leaves & a little bit of fencing. Check with the greenhouse at Mountain & Woodman roads, I know they sell them and can give you some good advice.

Is it just me or is it hot out there??
Harry V....also in Glen Allen

We have several species and varieties of Gardenia in the Lewis Ginter Garden. They have survived many winters and LGBG is fairly close to much of Glen Allen. From a personal observation,at my residence in Mechanicsville they survive only if protected fron sudden temperature changes and especially from cold winter winds.
Best of luck!!!

I live in Short Pump and had some Kleim's Hardy put in last winter for foundational plantings. they face East and get morning sun and afternoon shade and are protected by the house. They did fine last winter. Funny thing, is I ordered Chuck Hayes variety. they were replaced this summer and have done well. Both varieties are hardy, it is just a matter of whether you like the single or double blooms. I highly recommend these. Good luck!

TBT

thank you all so much for your insight! harryvetch, how funny, i bought my gardenia from the very same nursery you referenced. i will plant it with some protection from the wind and make sure it receives the care you all recommended. thanks again.

I live in Petersburg which is southeast of you, but we do get some nasty cold nights in the winter with lows below what you get in Henrico/Hanover. We've had August Beauty gardenias for about 10 years, protected on one side by a garage wall and getting morning and midday sun only. Sometimes there is some leaf burn in winter but not usually (none this year and it went down to 10 degrees). In spring new leaves always replace the damaged ones. They bloom prolifically. Try this variety. We planted Mystery also but that didn't make it. I've never tried those sold specifically for cold-hardiness.

I live down in South Hill and planted an August Beauty yesterday! I planted it near a BIG oak right on my woodline (so I assume the woods will give it some wind protection). The oak tree (and it's acorns) should provide fairly acidic soil. I bought a 3 gallon one, it's probably 15 inches high, and 12 inches across.
How fast do these grow? I know they will get 5-6 foot high and wide.
The bush will get dappled shade from daybreak-8:30 or so, then full sun from about 8:30am-12:30pm or so, then shade the rest of the day. Do you think this is a good place for my Gardenia?

This is my very first Gardenia.

I live in Cumberland, which is roughly about an hour west of you in Glen Allen....I have gardenia bushes that are doing very well. I have heard others spend alot of money on all of that 'acid' stuff to make their soil acidic for these guys, but the most expensive thing I buy is seven liquid to spray on my gardenia as well as my echinacea, liliea, obedient plant, etc. to keep the bugs off of them out here! All I do for the gardenia bushes, lilies, and my obedient plant (all acidic loving) is I put some all in one fertilizer under the plant when I put it in the ground....well drained soil with plenty of mulch but not too close to the bark....I also once a month put some dried used coffee grounds out there under these 3 plants and spread it into about 1/4 an inch of the soil surrounding each and water down a few inches to the roots. I did this as a test on 1 of my gardenia bushes and this one is thriving much better than the one without the coffee grounds. I'm told either this or used tea bags will give you all of the acidic loving that your acidic plants need.....every time you drink tea or coffee just keep the remains out somewhere until they dry then reuse them to spruce up your gardenias or other acid loving plants! I have my gardenias as a foundation planting where they get morning and mid-afternoon sun and then the rest they are protected by my covered porch and house. They are amazing to walk in/out of the house and get a wiff of that pleasant smell every time!!! Plus the lillies too! Obedient plant hasn't quite bloomed yet, but it is working on it so I'm looking forward to those pretty blooms!!!

I also planted 3 small August Beauty Gardenias this year, they look very healthy and have grown but I didn't get any blooms, maybe next year? Thanks for the coffe grounds/tea bags tip, I will try that. :)

'August Beauty' doesn't seem to be as free-blooming as some of the other varieties. I have noticed that one year may be really good with the following year not so good back to good the next. That said, gardenias don't like big swings in temps or soil moisture, and may abort buds and leaves as a response.

I am in Northern Virginia and have several hardy gardenias like Chuck Hayes, Kliem's Hardy and August Beauty. They get some extra mulch in the fall and some epsom salts in Spring and they do very well even here in the 2nd most northern county in VA.