Hi! I'm obviously not zone 6 or CT. But I thought I would mention that i am growing my hardy jasmine in a pot on my north-facing balcony (so colder than 7b in reality). So far mine is fine! Summer conditions will obviously be different as well as possible lighting but as far as winter temps, it seems to do well. I'm guessing my pot in 7b is operating as more of a zone 6b for winter temps.

I lost what was supposedly a hardy gardenia in zone 7a (just outside of Washington, DC). I kind of doubt it would survive a zone 6 winter unless you had a warm micro-climate. Why don't you give it a try. The worst that will happen is you'll lose the plant or maybe you'll be happily surprised and it will do well.

Im in 6b Ct and my Chuck Hayes made it through the worst of this past winter just barely... needless to say, will have to do a lot of pruning to it in this spring, at least 3 inches each branch. At least it made it. Now time to try Summer Snow Gardenia

I have gardenia 'Frostproof' that was planted in 2008 and moved in 2011. It has never been protected. Last summer it produced about a dozen fragrant blooms, and so far it looks OK this year. I have several Gelsemium spemperivrens 'Margarita' and the oldest is about 8 years old. It's really nice in that it's one of the very few evergreen flowering vines for zone 6. Masses of yellow trumpet flowers in spring. I also have a winter jasmine, J. nudiflorum, which is definitely hardy in zone 6. The stems are evergreen, and blooms often appear during any brief warm spells from as early as December all through winter and a final big flush of blooms around April. During the summer and fall it leafs out with tiny green leaves. When they fall, they just sort of disappear so not messy, and as I said the stems are green all year. I also have a J. officinale, which has proven hardy for at least 10 years, but seldom blooms. It survives, but doesn't really thrive. Maybe in a very protected spot it would do better.

{{gwi:5901}}

I have grown Frostproof and it didn't make it through the winter. I planted CrownJewel gardenia (has Chuck Hayes in its genes) and it made it through winter 2011/12, but i don't count that because it was so warm. It basically got crushed with the heavy snow this winter, 2013, here in Hamden. It might spring back but lots of broken branches. Last winter was its first and it had a few flowers on it, very cute small flowers but smell just like the bigger gardenias.

I will have to give this Jessamine a try. For some reason I thought it was not hardy here. I'll have to read about it but does it climb itself? Like a clematis or do you have to train it?

I really Googled if Jasminum officinale would grow in my area and came to this page. Maybe I'll give it a try. I can plant it on the south side of my house surrounded by a paver patio and an enclosed porch. Maybe that would provide enough winter warmth to allow it to survive and flower? Time will tell.

Bill,

thanks for your great info., I am very grateful. If you could tell me what exposure your plants have that would be great Which direction does your fence face, the one with 'Margarita' on it?

Where did you purchase your plants mentioned? A ny more updates this spring?

Even in zone 7, My gardenia did not survive the winter. But on the other hand, My jasmine(jasminum polyanthum) vine grow just fine through the winters. My star jasmine did not even lose all of the leaves. I you want to plant it outside, I would suggest buying a larger/older plant since it is more resistant to cold weather.

All the plants against the fence face south.I don't recall where I bought them, but they are all available online.