Gardenia Steady as She Goes™

A Proven Winners® ColorChoice® Flowering Shrub, Gardenia Steady as She Goes™ is a remarkable broadleaf evergreen that delivers continuous beauty and fragrance throughout the year. Known for its exceptional cold hardiness and heat tolerance, this gardenia is ideal for a variety of landscapes and climates.

Growing to a manageable size of 3 to 5 feet tall and 4 to 7 feet wide, this freely branching shrub provides excellent structure and texture in any garden setting. Its glossy, dark green foliage remains dense and attractive all year long, creating a lush backdrop for its stunning blooms. The bright white double flowers of Steady as She Goes bloom prolifically from spring until the first frost, filling your garden with their romantic, sweet scent.

These blooms are not only beautiful in the garden but also make exceptional cut flowers. Their long-lasting fragrance is perfect for bringing the outdoors inside. Place them in cool spots and mist frequently to enjoy their beauty and scent for longer. Short-stemmed flowers are particularly charming when floated in a shallow glass bowl, adding a touch of elegance to your indoor decor.

Gardenia Steady as She Goes has an upright, mounding habit and grows at a steady pace. This makes it an excellent choice as a specimen plant, for foundation plantings, or as a striking addition to beds and borders. When massed, it creates a stunning flowering hedge that is especially appealing in high-traffic areas like patios and walkways, where its fragrance can be fully appreciated.

This gardenia thrives in sunny to partly sunny locations and prefers moist, well-draining soil. It is highly adaptable and can tolerate clay, loam, and sandy soils. While it is bred for heat tolerance, providing some afternoon shade in very hot climates will help protect the plant and keep it looking its best. Water the shrub deeply and regularly until it is well-established, then adjust watering to less frequent, deep sessions during the growing season.

Maintaining Gardenia Steady as She Goes is easy. Fertilize in the spring to encourage vigorous growth and abundant flowering. Prune after the blooming season to remove any damaged or dead branches and to shape the plant as needed. This gardenia is also resistant to deer, adding to its low-maintenance appeal.

Incorporate Steady as She Goes into your garden for year-round interest and continuous blooms. Whether you use it as a focal point, in containers, or as part of a hedge, this gardenia will enhance your landscape with its vibrant flowers and delightful fragrance.

Photo courtesy of Proven Winners® ColorChoice® Shrubs