Plant It And Forget It: The Gardenia Variety That's Easy To Grow

With their irresistible, sweet scent and luxurious white blooms, gardenias are fantastic additions to any yard, from formal, classical spaces to sprawling cottage gardens full of color and contrast. However, many of them are not the easiest plants to look after. Gardenias need to be watered and fertilized regularly, and they are often attacked by garden pests such as aphids and mealybugs. Thankfully, smart botanists have created a hybrid variety that is much lower maintenance than its siblings. Aptly named 'Fool Proof' (Gardenia hybrid 'Leesix'), this gardenia variety is perfect for those of us who may not remember to keep on top of gardening care.

Like most gardenia plants, the 'Fool Proof' gardenia is an evergreen shrub that keeps its vibrant, glossy leaves throughout the seasons. Its beautiful white double blooms appear in spring and keep reblooming throughout the fall, keeping your garden cheery and interesting as the months go by. This hybrid shrub is a fairly compact plant, growing to around 3 feet in width and 3 or 4 feet in height. Its upright growth habit creates structure in a garden, with its erect branches almost exploding upwards — classy, elegant, and fun.

Even though this hybrid is tough as nails, it does need a little care throughout the year to ensure that it thrives. Firstly, it needs to be planted in the right spot, as this can mean avoiding more tasks down the line. You can grow the 'Fool Proof' gardenia in USDA Hardiness Zones 7 to 10, and it needs spacing of around 3 feet. This stunning plant will also thrive in containers, which means that those in cooler zones can grow it outside before bringing it indoors in the fall for protection. 

The 'Fool Proof' gardenia thrives in a location in partial shade, where it can get some morning sun and then afternoon shade, as too much sunlight can damage its foliage. It enjoys well-drained, moist soil that has been amended by organic material, and you may wish to mulch it after planting to help keep the soil moist. 

Once your 'Fool Proof' gardenia has established itself, it will become a drought-resistant plant that will thrive without much watering, but try to water it regularly when the soil is dry. Providing it with gardenia fertilizer in the spring will give you more blooms, but don't worry if you forget — this variety is designed not to need much care. It will still look good and flower without feed. You don't need to prune it, either, but you can do so after its spring bloom if you want to tidy it up a little.