DISPATCH FROM EDEN

Raising the Scent of Gardenias to New Heights

The plant’s relatively high-maintenance is well worth it (like marriage)

The author snaps a picture of his wild gardenia on the porch of his mountain lake home in PA. This is a wild GARDENIA THUNBERGIA — a “very un-gardenia like gardenia” (link).

Through the screened windows, the gardenias are intoxicating with their fragrance. Various birds — a dark-eyed junco — an Eastern phoebe — Carolina wrens — carol and echo between the beech trees, the red maples, and the hemlock.

I just heard thunder — even though dappled sunshine spotlights the woods.

O, that fragrance! Most of my gardenias have emigrated from Southern Jersey to Northeastern Pennsylvania in The Pocono Mountains. It’s been a great transition for them — and for me, since I’m, now, like Henry David Thoreau. Just married for twenty-eight years, man.

The gardenias improved, and my stock and confidence multiplied in 2022. Photo by author.

I came to gardenias late.

Had my thumb finally stabilized to the right shade to purchase a rather dear plant? It doesn’t have to be expensive, if you shop around. Not all garden centers are created equal — the stock can be high quality or low quality — and whether or not they’re getting care while on display.