I have grown Gardenia 'August Beauty' with great success here in W. PA zone 5/6. It came from Wayside five years ago as a one gallon 10" tall little shrub. As it continued to grow it was potted (taken in during the winter here), in consecutively larger pots until coming to its max size in a 22" pot! It is about 4'X4', and blooms continuously. There will always be a few flowers on the bush, and when heavy flushes come, about twice a year, you can count over 90 open flowers at once on the bush.

It is one cast iron Gardenia, whose relatives all gave me headaches over the years...camelia scale, spider mites, chlorosis, etc., but G. 'August Beauty' is exceptional in all these categories. I have never had to spray the bush even once. It is a heavy feeder and drinker, and I gladly oblige it. Giving it everything good one can, both inorganically and organically, especially a bloom booster liquid feed, and an acid loving liquid feed every so often on a strict schedule, to keep the leaves a deep green and the blooms coming.

I put in in cold storage during winter in a fruit cellar where it never goes below freezing but stays damp and cold from November/December to March/April depending on how
early or late spring or fall is that year. It doesn't drop a leaf during storage and just sits there in almost total darkness! When it is brought out in the sun after I think it is safe, it just continues growing like nothing ever happened.

Every single Gardenia I have grown for over 40 years has been a headache and disappointment until this one. I highly recommend it.

It can also take some frost, and I let it get a few light freezes in the fall before I bring it in just to slow it down, and also kill any overwintering insects on it.

The only negative thing about it, and gardenias in general is that their woody parts are very brittle and when grown in pot culture as I have to practice, one has to site and manage the plant so that it does not blow over in heavy winds. Every time it blows over a good branch is at risk of being snapped off. When this happens the bush look lop-sided until it fills in, which it does in time.

Happy Gardenia Hunting

Rootman

I came from Massachusettts to Southeast Georgia 2 years ago with my "Four Seasons Gardenia" from Logee's and planted it outside. I do nothing to it except water and fertilizer once a year. It is now 2 1/2ft. by 3ft. and doing well.

I have never planted this variety outside, but have had great success with "August Beauty", "Kleim's Hardy," and "Chuck Hayes" gardenias. In really bad winters they will burn a bit, but rebounds quickly given lots of water, coffee grounds and Miracid.

It also makes a wonderful container plant. I have two! ;-]

Does anyone have anything new to add about this variety?