Gardenia jasminoides Double Diamonds

Gardenia jasminoides Double Diamonds is one of the hardiest varieties of Cape Jasmine, which can be grown in the ground in a large part of Europe. With its compact size, it can be grown in containers outdoors elsewhere, and then be brought indoors during the cold season. Its beautiful glossy dark green foliage highlights its superb white flowering, composed of double star-shaped blooms. Blooming throughout the summer, it exhales a powerful fragrance similar to Jasmine. This small shrub with an exotic appearance requires a moist, neutral to acidic soil and protection against harsh sunlight.

Gardenia belongs to the large family of Rubiaceae, which includes 600 genera and more than 10,000 species, spread across the entire planet, from cold zones to tropical regions. The Gardenia genus itself includes several dozen species distributed in the subtropical and tropical belt of the globe. Gardenia jasminoides is native to China and southern Japan, where it forms shrubs or small trees reaching a height of 5 m (16 ft 5 in). Its foliage is evergreen, and its large flowers, 6 to 10 cm (2.4 to 3.9 in) in diameter, are solitary or sometimes grouped in threes at the end of branches.
'Double Diamonds' is an American variety that is much more compact than the botanical species, as it reaches only 90 cm (35.4 in) in height, with a width of about 70 cm (27.6 in). Its growth is slow and generally well-balanced, so it does not require any pruning, naturally forming a dense tuft. Its dark green elliptical leaves have a glossy surface that is very attractive. They provide a perfect backdrop for a sumptuous immaculate white flowering that contrasts sharply with the dark background of the vegetation. Highly decorative, the flowers measure from 6 to 8 cm (2.4 to 3.1 in) in diameter and have a particularly aesthetic pattern. Fully double, they are composed of star-shaped outer petals, and inner petals that gracefully curl around the heart.

However, their beauty is surpassed by their fragrance, particularly powerful, similar to that of Jasmine although more heady and even intoxicating on hot summer evenings. Therefore, it is advisable not to plant this small shrub directly under the window of a bedroom, but rather to place it near a terrace. The exceptional flowering is also distinctive by its length, from July to September.
This Cape Jasmine has good hardiness, being able to withstand freezing temperatures down to -12 °C, under appropriate conditions. Cold resistance is always indicative, considering that the effects of frost are aggravated by poor conditions such as exposure to winter winds, excessive shade in the cold season, poorly-drained soil... On the other hand, even though the roots can withstand freezing temperatures well, this does not prevent the leaves from becoming marked from around -6 °C (21.2 °F), and even partially falling from around -8 °C (17.6 °F). Vegetation will then resume in spring, but to avoid reaching this point, it is advisable to protect the shrub with a non-woven fleece during periods of regular frost.
If you choose to cultivate it in a pot, which is perfectly possible, it will even need to be brought indoors before reaching these temperatures, as it does not benefit from the thermal inertia of the soil and will suffer more from frost.

Gardenia Double Diamonds is a plant with a tropical appearance that enthusiasts appreciate to create a dreamy corner in the garden. In mild climates without extremes, you can associate it with other distinctive plants such as Japanese Banana (Musa basjoo) with its large leaves and fiercely tropical appearance, although it is significantly hardier than our little Gardenia. Fatsia japonica, or False Aralia, with its large, glossy green, palmate leaves will also be a very good companion to complement an exotic scene.