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best gardenia

Looking for the best gardenia to transform your garden or brighten up your patio? Gardenias are known for their intoxicating fragrance, glossy evergreen foliage, and creamy white blooms, making them a favourite in New Zealand gardens. Choosing the best gardenia depends on your climate, garden space, and personal preferences. Here, we explore top varieties and how each can suit different garden styles, helping you find the perfect fit for your next planting project.

Gardenia 'Golden Magic' beautiful yellow flowers with green foliage.

Gardenia Golden Magic

Gardenia 'Golden Magic' is a unique evergreen shrub that produces highly fragrant white flowers which gradually turn golden yellow as they age, offering a stunning two-tone display. Its glossy green foliage and long flowering season make it a standout in NZ gardens. Thriving in full sun to part shade with well-drained, slightly acidic soil, it's perfect for borders, containers, or feature planting. ‘Golden Magic’ adds tropical flair, sweet scent, and vibrant colour to any outdoor space.

From $26.93

Suited to regions: Subtropical, Temperate
Plant type: Shrubs
Height: 1.50 m
Spread: 1.50 m
Flowering time: Summer, Autumn
Garden uses: Containers, Hedging, Living areas, Pool areas
Garden styles: Backyard, City & Courtyard, Cottage, Formal, Frontyard, Japanese, Modern, Rock, Tropical
Gardenia Frost Proof shrub with white flowers and dark green foliage.

Gardenia Frostproof

Gardenia 'Frostproof' is a hardy, evergreen shrub renowned for its fragrant white flowers and glossy, dark green foliage. Reaching around 90–120 cm tall and wide, it’s ideal for NZ gardeners in cooler regions, as it tolerates light frosts better than most gardenia varieties. Blooming from late spring through summer, it brings lasting scent and elegance to borders, pots, or hedges.

From $26.93

Suited to regions: All regions
Plant type: Shrubs
Height: 1.00 m
Spread: 1.00 m
Flowering time: Spring, Summer, Autumn
Garden uses: Borders, Containers, Hedging, Living areas, Paths & Steps, Pool areas
Garden styles: Alpine, Backyard, City & Courtyard, Cottage, Formal, Frontyard, Japanese, Modern, Rock, Tropical, White
Gardenia augusta 'Lace Lady' shrub with green foliage and masses of white flowers.

Gardenia Lace Lady

Gardenia 'Lace Lady' is a compact, evergreen shrub prized for its delicately ruffled, highly fragrant white flowers and glossy dark green foliage...

From$26.93
An elegant Gardenia 'Professor Pucci' white flower.

Gardenia Professor Pucci

Gardenia 'Professor Pucci' is a stunning evergreen shrub known for its exceptionally large, fragrant white blooms and glossy green foliage. Flowering...

From$26.93
Gardenia 'Four Seasons' elegant white flower.

Gardenia Four Seasons

Gardenia 'Four Seasons' is a compact, evergreen shrub celebrated for its ability to flower multiple times throughout the year in NZ. It produces...

From$26.93
Gardenia 'Veitchii' white flower against dark green foliage.

Gardenia Veitchii

Gardenia veitchii is a compact, evergreen shrub renowned for its intensely fragrant, creamy-white flowers, which bloom from spring to summer. Its...

From$26.93
Gardenia augusta 'True Love' white flower with mid-green foliage.

Gardenia True Love

Gardenia 'True Love' is a compact, evergreen shrub reaching around 60–90 cm tall and wide, perfect for adding fragrance and lush foliage to NZ...

From$26.93
azalea-gardenia-supreme-

Azalea Gardenia Supreme

Azalea Gardenia Supreme is a popular variety due to its lovely form and profuse flowering through winter and spring. This hardy, evergreen shrub...

From$26.93
Gardenia 'Fragrant Star' white flowers and dark green foliage.

Gardenia Fragrant Star

Gardenia 'Fragrant Star' is a compact, evergreen shrub prized for its intensely perfumed, star-shaped white flowers and glossy green foliage...

From$26.93
Gardenia florida spectacular white flower amidst dark green foliage.

Gardenia Florida

Gardenia florida is a compact, evergreen shrub renowned for its glossy, green foliage and richly fragrant, white blooms that appear from late spring...

From$26.93
A Gardenia radicans shrub looking amazing with lush foliage and white flowers.

Gardenia radicans

Gardenia radicans is a compact, low-growing shrub prized for its glossy green foliage and intensely fragrant white flowers. Blooming from late spring...

From$25.58
Gardenia 'Buttons' small, white flowers and dark green foliage.

Gardenia Buttons

Gardenia 'Buttons' is a compact, evergreen shrub admired for its sweetly fragrant, creamy-white flowers and glossy green foliage. The blooms are...

From$26.93
Buxus harlandii shrub with dense, green foliage.

Buxus harlandii

Buxus harlandii grows to about 1 m tall and the same wide with charming, bright green leaves. Best results with this evergreen shrub are achieved...

From$20.18
Salvia 'Santa Barbara' shrub in a garden with dark pink flowers.

Salvia Santa Barbara (Mexican Sage)

Salvia Santa Barbara, commonly known as Mexican Sage or Mexican Bush Sage, is grown for its rich display of flowers from summer through autumn. It...

From$26.93
rhipsalis-cereuscula-3

Rhipsalis cereuscula (Coral Cactus)

Commonly known as the Coral Cactus, this is a succulent grown for its slender and interesting stems. Masses of the dark green, thread-like stems are...

From$26.93
Ophiopogon japonicus nana (dwarf Mondo grass) growing between paving stones.

Ophiopogon japonicus Nana

Ophiopogon japonicus 'Nana' is a dwarf or mini Mondo Grass grown for its delicate, dark green foliage. Flower spikes are borne in summer and bear...

From$9.38
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Ulmus carpinifolia Variegata (Field Elm)

Ulmus carpinifolia Variegata, commonly known as Field Elm or Variegated Elm tree, is a stately, deciduous tree grown for its colourful foliage. The...

From$432.79
Lagerstroemia 'Best Red' red flowers amidst dark purple foliage.

Lagerstroemia 'Best Red'

Lagerstroemia ‘Best Red’ is a standout crepe myrtle prized for its intense red summer flowers and strong upright tree form. Flowering through the...

From$358.98
Ophiopogon japonicus Silver Mist grass in a garden.

Ophiopogon Silver Mist (Silver Mondo Grass)

Ophiopogon 'Silver Mist' is a dwarf silver Mondo Grass, and features fine, grass-like foliage that is variegated dark green and white. It typically...

From$6.08
Ophiopogon planiscapus (Mondo Grass) with lush green foliage growing as a ground cover.

Ophiopogon planiscapus

Ophiopogon planiscapus, commonly known as Dwarf Lilyturf, is a Mondo grass grown for its fine, dark green foliage and short stature. The foliage is...

From$6.08
Dactylis glomerata plant with a cat.

Dactylis glomerata (Cat Grass)

Dactylis glomerata, commonly known as Cat Grass or Catnip Grass, is a popular grass that is loved by cats. It features flowing, green foliage held as...

From$21.53
fertiliser-for-acid-loving-plants-

Fertiliser for acid loving plants (Acid Fertiliser)

Using fertiliser for acid loving plants is important for plants such as Camellias, Rhododendrons, Azaleas, Daphne’s, Gardenia’s, and Hydrangea’s who...

From$7.50
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Pear Doyenne du Comice (Comice Pear Tree)

The Comice pear tree (Pyrus communis Doyenne du Comice) is regarded as having the best flavour of all the pear varieties. It bears green skinned...

From$299.92
Orange 'Best Seedless' orange fruit with orange flesh.

Orange 'Best Seedless'

The ‘Best Seedless’ Orange is a superb variety prized for its deliciously sweet, seedless fruit and easy-to-peel skin. Perfect for New Zealand...

From$49.88
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Vegetable Fertiliser (Vegetable Fertiliser)

Vegetable plants respond exceptionally well to The Plant Company’s vegetable fertiliser with better quality produce, higher yields, and a much...

From$12.50
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Indoor Plant Fertiliser (Indoor Plant Fertiliser)

All potted plants require indoor plant fertiliser. This is particularly important as many nurseries only put enough fertiliser in the pots to last...

From$12.50
The best lawn fertiliser in NZ with moss killer.

Lawn Fertiliser

Achieve a vibrant, healthy lawn with our premium Lawn Fertiliser, specially formulated for New Zealand conditions. This fertiliser not only...

From$5.00
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Native Plant Fertiliser (Native Fertiliser)

Selecting the correct native plant fertiliser is essential as they often tend to be slow growing and so require a tailored nutrient plan to meet...

From$12.50
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Palm Tree Fertiliser (Palm Tree Fertiliser)

Choosing the correct Palm tree fertiliser is essential for producing better quality foliage, stronger fronds, and a much healthier and brighter...

From$12.50
fruiting-plant-fertiliser-

Fruit Tree Fertiliser (Fruit Tree Fertiliser)

Fruiting plants respond well to fruit tree fertiliser with better quality produce, higher yields, and a much healthier and brighter looking plant...

From$12.50
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Lawn Pro Protect

This granulated product is used to control and protect against insect pests in lawn and soil. It will provide long-term control of insect grubs...

From$128.00
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Fertiliser For Bulbs (Fertiliser For Bulbs)

From$12.50
Gardenia Golden Magic

Did you find what you are looking for?

You might be interested in exploring related Latin Names - Azalea, Buxus, Dactylis, Gardenia, Lagerstroemia, Ophiopogon, Orange, Pear, Rhipsalis Salvia and Ulmus, or related Categories - Acid Loving Plants, Bulb Fertiliser, General Garden Fertiliser, Indoor Plant Fertiliser, Native Plant Fertiliser, Palm Tree Fertiliser, Vegetable Fertiliser, Insecticides, Fertiliser, Orange Trees, Pear Trees, Grasses, Mondo Grass, Groundcover Plants, Indoor Plants, Perennials, Evergreen Azaleas Evergreen Shrubs and Deciduous Trees.

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Why Gardenias Are Garden Favourites

Gardenias offer more than just beautiful flowers and fragrance. These shrubs work wonderfully in borders, pots, or as feature plants near entrances. Their evergreen leaves provide year-round structure, while their blooms add visual interest and classic scent in late spring and summer. If you’re after a shrub that combines beauty and function, gardenia is among the best choices.

Top Picks for the Best Gardenia Varieties

Not all gardenias are created equal. Here are some of the top varieties that New Zealand gardeners love, each with its unique strengths:

Gardenia Tahiti

A standout variety, Gardenia Tahiti is revered for its large double blooms and particularly strong scent. It thrives in well-drained soil and is tougher than many other gardenias when it comes to cooler climates.

Gardenia Frostproof

If you’re in a region prone to late frosts, Gardenia Frostproof might be your best gardenia option. It’s specially bred to withstand colder temperatures and still produce plenty of fragrant, snow-white flowers on compact plants.

Gardenia Golden Magic

The blooms of Gardenia Golden Magic open as pure white and slowly age to a soft golden hue, giving your garden a dynamic display. The plant forms a neat, bushy habit, perfect for pots or low hedges.

Gardenia Lace Lady

Looking for a delicate look? Gardenia Lace Lady features exquisite, lacy double flowers and compact growth, making it ideal for small spaces or container gardening.

Gardenia Professor Pucci

For an absolute showstopper, consider Gardenia Professor Pucci. It offers large, highly fragrant flowers and thrives in the right spot, quickly becoming a standout specimen in any garden.

Tips for Growing the Best Gardenia Bush

To get the most from your plant, choose a sheltered spot with morning sun or dappled shade, and rich, acidic soil. Protect your gardenia from harsh winds and feed regularly in spring and summer with a fertiliser formulated for acid-loving plants. Regular watering (while avoiding soggy soil) encourages healthy roots and optimal blooming.

Whether you’re after the lush blooms of Gardenia Tahiti, the cold hardiness of Gardenia Frostproof, or the changing hues of Gardenia Golden Magic, exploring these choices ensures you’ll find the best gardenia for your space. With expert care, your gardenia will reward you with years of scent and beauty.

Contact us

Whether you need assistance finding the plant you’re looking for or you simply want to know more about who we are and what we do, we invite you to get in touch with us today. A member of The Plant Company team will get back in touch as soon as possible.

Illustration of plant leaves.
You’ve probably heard of our garden favourites like Griselinia 'Canterbury' and Parthenocissus tricuspidata Veitchii, but did you know we also grow hidden gems like Cercis canadensis Forest Pansy (Eastern Redbud), Rosmarinus 'Mozart', and Crataegus laevigata Rosea Flore Pleno?
–The Plant Company

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