Gardenia ‘True Love’

Gardenia True Love (Gardenia jasminoides 'True Love') packs the full gardenia experience into a neat 1.2m dome: large pure white perfumed blooms held against exceptionally dark, glossy foliage, on a bush that stays compact enough for pots, borders and massed drifts. Bred for improved vigour and flower power, it delivers wave after wave of scent through the warm months in tropical, subtropical and warm temperate gardens.

Why you'll love it

• Big flowers, small footprint. The blooms rival shrubs twice its size, but True Love holds a tidy 1.2m by 1.2m.
• Perfume on repeat. Flushes of fragrant white flowers keep coming from late spring into autumn, not one short season.
• Foliage that sells it in winter. The deep green lacquered leaves are among the darkest and glossiest of any gardenia, so the bush looks lush out of flower.
• Made for repetition. At 80cm spacings it masses into a low perfumed hedge or drift that reads as one plant.
• Happy in humidity. Sticky summers that flatten exotics are exactly what it wants.

Where it works best

Mass planting and low hedges. Plant 80cm apart along a path, fence or pool surround; a 4m run takes 5 or 6 plants and perfumes the whole space.

Pots and courtyards. A 40cm pot by the outdoor table puts the scent exactly where evenings happen.

Feature and border planting. Singles anchor bed corners; rows edge a deck with polish.

Growing Gardenia True Love in Australia

Position and climate. Morning sun with light afternoon protection is the sweet spot; coastal gardens handle full sun with mulch and water. Best in tropical, subtropical and warm temperate zones; it takes light frost only, so cold districts should pot it against a warm wall.

Soil. Slightly acidic, rich and free draining. Compost in, mulch 75mm deep, and leave the shallow roots undisturbed.

Water and feed. Even moisture is the whole secret: water deeply as the surface dries, especially in pots, and feed with an azalea and gardenia fertiliser in early spring and midsummer.

Pruning. A light shape after each main flush keeps the dome dense. Avoid hard cuts into old wood.

What to expect when it arrives

True Love ships as $16.95 tubes and in 200mm pots in packs of 6, the format designed for the massed plantings it does best. Both are in stock. Tubes reach flowering size in their second season; 200mm plants usually flower their first summer with you. Delivery is Australia wide, from $29.95, with a minimum order of $300 before delivery, and every plant carries our 30 day healthy plant guarantee.

Plant care guides and related reading

• Browse the full gardenia range
• More fragrant plants
• Plants proven in pots

Common questions

How is True Love different from Florida?

Flower size and foliage. True Love carries noticeably larger blooms and darker, glossier leaves on a similar sized bush, with strong repeat flushing. If you want maximum flower impact at the 1.2m scale, this is the one.

Why are my gardenia leaves yellowing?

Almost always magnesium or iron hunger, especially in pots. A dose of Epsom salts or iron chelate corrects it within weeks, and regular acid feeding prevents the relapse.

Can I grow it in Melbourne?

In a pot in a warm, sheltered sunny courtyard, yes. In the open garden it will struggle with cold winters; gardenias are warm climate shrubs at heart.

Is it pet safe?

No. Like all gardenias it is toxic to cats and dogs if eaten, so keep it away from pets that chew plants and choose from our pet safe range for those spots.