Hello Minnesotans.

I'm growing gardenias and multiple different varieties of citrus outside. Completely unprotected. I'm further North in latitude than Duluth, MN.

I also have some tree ferns that only get light protection (I tie together and bag their fronds during the coldest 3 weeks of the Winter).

The catch? Well I'm not actually in Minnesota. Haha. Olympia, WA.

The growing season is short, BUT the Winter temperatures don't really get that cold.

Still, gardenias and citrus are not something most people can grow here, but I discovered there do exist some very rare varieties that are more cold hardy, and I'm in touch with several breeders.

Now you can find gardenias like Kleim's Hardy and Trifoliate orange that can grow here, and these can sometimes be found as "rare" specimens in botanical gardens, but these aren't really what I have in mind when I think of gardenias or citrus. No, I have varieties that are much better than this. I'm talking about big beautiful bloom shapes of gardenias found in the South, and citrus that you can actually eat.

I have grapefruits, oranges, tangerines, lemons. Maybe I should put these all in parentheses because they're not really those but completely new categories of citrus that I've bred.

My latest breeding involves hybridization of exhibition variety chrysanthemums so they can survive over the Winter outside and produce surrealistically large blooms.

Also have some less common camellia varieties that are fragrant. (camellias have no trouble growing here)

Probably unlike you, I don't really consider gardenias and citrus that exotic, since I originally came from Southern California. One thing I do want to share with you though, much to my endless disappointment I could never get raspberries to survive there, the Summers were too hot dry and sunny. Of course raspberries grow like weeds in the North. Though you in Northern parts of Minnesota often have to stick with Latham Red to be able to survive the Winters. I couldn't even get Bababerries to survive in Southern California with plenty of water and partial shade. Oh I could never get gardenias to grow there. Not anything to do with cold but because the plants are very sensitive to the lack of humidity in the air. (Finally got a bush to survive by planting it in a sheltered enclosed spot surrounded by ferns and other plants like a little courtyard jungle)

I've as always been into zone pushing. I'll admit, trying to grow gardenias and citrus outside is a big stretch even for here. There's a lot of knowledge that goes into it.

just wanted to share here