Ive always wanted to try frost proof, but never bought one. I never heard of diamonds fragrant delight though. Is it a newer one?
hope it goes well, ive never really heard any definate success stories with cold hardy gardenias, but im sure people have had sucess with them.

Good luck!

Definitely need luck! "Frostproof" has made good growth, and even had one flower, although it was a little stunted looking, probably having been a bud before I planted it. "Diamond's Fragrant Delight" is new. The amazing thing about it is not only it's (alleged) hardiness, but the sheer size of it! The leaves are at least 8" long and 5" wide but still glossy green like other gardenias. Even if it never flowered it would make an awesome evergreen shrub in my climate! The flowers are single and according to the grower, get up to 5" across, with typical gardenia fragrance. This one almost seems to good to be true!

Do you have any pics of your diamond's fragrant delight gardenia? It sounds pretty interesting, but pretty hard to find a lot of info about it, or pics. It looks like it isnt very widely available yet, but sounds like a really beautiful gardenia even if it ends up not being as cold tolerant as claims say. if it can survive zone 7 winters and ook that nice, I wouldnt be surprised if I saw them for sale at some major home improvement stores in maybe 3-5 years.

Good luck with your gardenias, and dont forget to post if you become successful with overwintering them! It looks like a cold winter from the southeast all the way up the coast to new england. My palms arent looking forward to that, but I will be keeping them warm with protection anyway.

I will try to post some pics soon. It is a new introduction and not many places have them yet. The grower claims to have had success in zone 6 in Connecticut. We'll see..............

Gardenia 'Frostproof survived 6 degrees last winter with some foliage damage. One of the single daisy types had almost no damage.

That right STeve,

We (NYC and adjacent parts of Jersey) were a low 7b winter last year - not so bad.

Lets hope for an 8a this year - we can dream can't we!

Last nite some places in NYC touched 32 for an hour or so. My bird bath was unfroozen but the water ontop of some high plastic palm housing frooze 1/4 inch.

Im very happy we still didnt freeze by me. I though I was sure that forcasted low of 34 would finish everything off, but I think we were around the mid too upper 30s this morning because nothing frosze at all, and there was no frost. I still have some mother in law plants and hibsicus outside and they are still undamaged. I dont think Ive ever had plants that tropical in nature survive into december (or at least I took them in before this). With a frost cover I dot see why it cant make it for another week outside (and Im not sure if im bringing anymore plants in, but those are the only 2 tropicals left outside other than my christmas cactus and sago palm which have places inside so they can go in nice a quick when real cold threatens).

November was fairly mild--especially in terms of overnight minimums (mostly in the mid 40's). Still have out the Queen palms, Med. fans, cycads, date palms (mostly canariensis), Wasingingtonias, and blooming impatients.--Despite last night's light frost. They are out a bit later than usual but the local forecast seems to be turning much stormier and eventually colder. Hate to lug the big ones into their winter retreat and then have the weather perhaps turn much milder again in mid December. So playing it day to day--much as the forecasts seem to get modified. Getting into the holiday season by wrapping the planted Trachys with X-mas lights. PS. I do have a blooming gardenia that is planted out that I am experimenting with this winter. I have repeatedly overwintered (outside) loquats and podocarpus so I'm hopeful.

That's the funny thing, we did not drop below freezing in the court yard in general TZ. Only one isolated area frooze a little. The rest of the courtyard with cement or growing impatients/hibus' etc were keep warm by the ground and walls. A free standing structure with some water indicated to me a drop to 32 in that area. My thermometer records the temp and it said 36 that nite. Talk about microclimates.

Thats really promising for the winter! just 5 degrees is the difference between life and death or no damage and severe damage for a palm. It doesnt seem that significant to a person, but to a plant its a big deal. Im really looking forward to seeing how these palms hold up in real cold.

THat's a good point, I am looking forward to a hopefully mild winter.

I don't mind big snow storms so much, its the bitter cold windy nites that makes me want to move to VB or more south.

Being on the ocean usually moderates our heavy snows(when we get one) well into the 20s for most big storms, its after the Low pressure passes that we can get slammed with artic air.

Did you know that the worst threat to our zone 7a (and our southern nieghbors precious 8a) winters is what they call a "Greenland High". It pumps cold air directly down the coast and is slow to move-out in January especially.

Looks like we might be getting a little coating of snow on saturday, but since its suppost to rain first, there shouldnt be any sticking. Im going to put the garbage bins on the palms again since rain and cold is coming out way!

Good luck!