Ah, now I see another possibility for your gardenia's sulking...not enough sun. Western exposure is not great for them--they prefer eastern or just full southern with 8+ hours of sun a day (especially in the summer). So you will likely need to replace it, yes.

As for replacement suggestions, you might try camellias. Some varieties stay smaller and even have a fragrance. But if you don't get the fragrance the blooms will make up for it, and they're evergreen. Or if you wanted to go the diva route again you could try daphne, which is also evergreen and probably one of the most heavenly scents in the world when it blooms in February-ish. Your site could suit it, although it's not a safe bet like camellias (you've got to get the sun exposure year-round just right). Many other suggestions if you Google "fragrant", "shade", and "shrub"...these are just the two that shoot into my mind.

I have always coveted this camellia at my church. Any ideas as to its name or others that I could prune like this?

Gigi, I'm not the expert here, but do know that generally, if you want to put Camillias on the corners of the porch in your photo, you are gong to have to get further away from the porch. Most of these plants get pretty large.

Generally speaking, Camellas are wininterish bloomers. Japonicas are springish bloomers, and Sesanquas are generally fallish bloomers. Crosses with Camellia and Japonica are usually winterspring bloomers, and most all of the Camellia Sesanquas are fall bloomers.

If you are planning to cut the trees to expose the limbs under the cover, you will need to let the bushes get at least as large as the minimum size you want the finished plant to be. That way the limb structure will be established and you will know which to cut and which to leave. After the cut you will have to keep any little suckers picked off until the bush decides you really mean business about leaving its lower branches bare. It will continue to grow in height, and the drip line will continue to expand, so you will need clearance from the house.

Here's a photo of two Sesanquas in my front yard that I cut may years ago. We have folks drive down our dead end street to see them when they are in bloom. I have flood lights under each to shine up into the canopy at night, It makes a right pretty show.

Bil

Upon further research I do not think a Camellia will work in my corner. If I plant it far enough away from the corner of the porch to accomidate its size it will not be shaded by the roof overhang and will be in full sun for most of the day, as I mentioned on first post the photo was taken in the early am. So now I am back to square one....what do I replace my dying gardenia with? :-(

Gigi,

Dig out a little further away from the porch so the bush can get full sun, and get yourself a nice fragrant rose bush.

It will bloom constantly for you the more sun it gets, so just place it so you can see it, smell it, and it will get as much sun as possible. It will leaf out in early March in SC, and you will be happy because it will bloom all summer.

You can plant a potted rose now, so go out this weekend and smell them, I am sure there are plant nurseries close to you. Also, buy some mulch, and after you plant it, put about 2 inches of mulch around the bottom of the bush. Water it well at least twice a week during the hottest months of the year.

Roses are not only beautiful, they can be addictive, you will see.

I have had success with knock out roses but have been afraid to enter the "real" rose arena.... due to their reputation for difficulty (and you know how successful I have been with difficult gardenias!) ok, I will visit my local nursery and see what I can come up with..... thank you everyone!

I really don't think you have enough sun for a rose bush of any kind...judging from your description, the north side close to the house would be a death warrant for them. You really need a shrub that likes shade (especially in the summer). I'm still convinced a dwarf variety of camellia would be fine, and you can also check out edgeworthia, oakleaf hydrangea, pieris, Virginia sweetspire, and good old azaleas and rhododendrons. Good luck whatever you choose!...it's fun to try different plants and see what happen.

I did not realize it but this time of year it is in full sun from 10:30 am until about 1, then some shade and more full sun and then shade in the evening. (maybe 4 hours of full sun at the hottest time of the day and shade for the am and later pm. It seemed like the yellow leaves started about the time that it started getting more sun and we got into June. At the same time I used Horticultural oil thinking it was a pest problem but it got so hot that day and every day since I wonder if the oil and the temp is what caused the yellow leaves (which have now all dropped) It has almost lost all if its leaves and the ones that are left are yellow. The one on the other corner (NE) is still doing fine. I think the problem is finding something that can take the differing sun exposure from season to season . I do not know for how long it will continue to get this much sun as now the days start getting shorter and the sun starts moving back south. So one final request for suggestions - is there something that can handle shade from about September to April then more and more sun up to summer solstice and still flower? husband is not too keen on increasing the bed farther away from the house since we have finally gotten the grass to fill in around the bed......