Gardenia Hedge —Creating, Maintaining, and Benefits of a Gardenia as a Hedge

Table of Contents

Is It Possible To Make a Hedge Out of Gardenias?

Yes, gardenias can be made into a hedge. Gardenias are versatile that can be used as hedge plants anywhere in the garden where their aroma can be enjoyed such as walkways, entryways, and fences. Low-growing spreading cultivars like ‘Radicans’ look well in borders or as groundcovers. However, this will require some time and effort on your part. First, you need to know what variety of gardenia can be used as hedges.

Gardenia Varieties to Try for Hedging

Scent Amazing Gardenia

Gardenia jasminoides ‘Leetwo’ “Scentsation”

An evergreen flowering shrub whose height maturity reaches 2.5-3 ft and width of 3-4 ft. It grows bushy, dense, mounding, and upright. It has an extremely fragrant white large single flower with 3-4 inches size. The flowering period is from mid to late spring and summer. It has dark green foliage. Since they enjoy shelter from the midday afternoon heat and chilly northwesterly winds, they are ideally planted on the east side of the house or other buildings. It’s a great choice for sensory gardens and near windows or outdoor living areas where the aroma may be experienced.

Suggested Spacing: solid hedges should be spaced 3 feet apart, while plant spacing should be 6 feet or more apart

August Beauty Gardenia

Gardenia jasminoides ‘August Beauty’

‘August Beauty’ is the largest-growing and most impressive Gardenia. It grows 6-8 ft with a width maturity of 4-6 ft, double large flower pure white double large flowers with 3 inches in diameter from mid-spring into summer, filling the garden with a wonderful aroma that is to die for. Flower cuttings and arrangements for indoor use are excellent choices for this variety. August Beauty’s arrow-shaped leaves are very shiny and dark green in color, and they contrast well with other plants that have a finer texture and lighter color foliage. It thrives on morning sun with filtered afternoon sun.

Suggested Spacing:  4 feet apart for solid hedge while 8 feet or more apart for plant spacing

Variegated Gardenia

Gardenia jasminoides ‘Variegata’

Variegated Gardenia is an excellent choice for use as an accent or in clusters in house foundation plantings and landscaping borders. It grows from 4-5 feet tall and 3-4 feet wide. It has large, glossy, variegated cream-white leaves edged in dark green. It prefers filtered sun or shade during afternoon hours. Furthermore, the Variegated Gardenia provides a profusion of waxy, ivory-colored double flowers from late spring through summer. These 2 to 3-inch diameter flowers blend in with the colorful foliage, but you’ll notice them when you catch a breath of their enticing sweet perfume. The growth rate is slower compared to other gardenia cousins.

Suggested Spacing:  3 feet apart for solid hedge while 8 feet or more apart for plant spacing

Other varieties:

Swan Princess Gardenia

Gardenia jasminoides

Height at Maturity: 2.5-3 feet

Width at Maturity: 3-4 feet

Growth Habit / Form: Bushy, Dense, Mounding, Upright

Suggested Spacing: 3 feet apart for mass planting and 7 feet or more for plant spacing

Swan Queen Gardenia

Gardenia jasminoides

Height at Maturity: 4 feet

Width at Maturity: 5 feet

Growth Habit / Form: Dense, Mounding

Suggested Spacing: 3.5 feet apart for mass planting and 7 feet or more for plant spacing

Jubilation Gardenia 

Gardenia jasminoides ‘Leeone’ 

Height at Maturity: 3-4 feet

Width at Maturity: 3-4 feet

Growth Habit / Form: Bushy, Dense, Mounding, Upright

Suggested Spacing: 3 feet apart for mass planting and 6 feet or more for plant spacing

Frost Proof Gardenia

Gardenia jasminoides ‘Frost Proof’

Height at Maturity: 3-4 feet

Width at Maturity: 3-4 feet

Growth Habit / Form: Bushy, Dense, Mounding, Upright

Suggested Spacing: 3 feet apart for mass planting and 6 feet or more for plant spacing

Buttons Gardenia

Gardenia jasminoides ‘Buttons’ 

Height at Maturity: 18-24 inches

Width at Maturity: 30-36 inches

Growth Habit / Form: Bushy, Dense, Mounding

Suggested Spacing: 2-2.5 feet apart for mass planting and 5 feet or more for plant spacing

Fall In Love Cold Hardy Gardenia

Gardenia jasminoides  ‘Fall In Love’

Height at Maturity: 4-5 feet

Width at Maturity: 5 feet

Growth Habit / Form: Bushy, Dense, Mounding

Suggested Spacing: 4 feet apart for mass planting and 8 feet or more for plant spacing

Celestial Star Gardenia

Gardenia augusta ‘Celestial Star’

Height at Maturity: 3-4 feet

Width at Maturity: 3-4 feet

Growth Habit / Form: Bushy, Dense, Mounding, Upright

Suggested Spacing: 3-4 feet apart for mass planting and 6 feet or more for plant spacing

Swan Maiden Gardenia

Gardenia jasminoides

Height at Maturity: 3-4 feet

Width at Maturity: 4-5 feet

Growth Habit / Form: Dense, Mounding

Suggested Spacing: 3-4 feet apart for mass planting and 8 feet or more for plant spacing

Double Mint Gardenia

Gardenia jasminoides ‘Double Mint’

Height at Maturity: 3 feet

Width at Maturity: 3 feet

Growth Habit / Form: Bushy, Dense, Mounding, Rounded

Suggested Spacing: 2.5 feet apart for mass planting and 5 feet or more for plant spacing

Heaven Scent Gardenia

Gardenia augusta

Height at Maturity: 3-4 feet

Width at Maturity: 3-4 feet

Growth Habit / Form: Dense, Upright

Suggested Spacing: 3 feet apart for mass planting and 6 feet or more for plant spacing

Diamond Spire Gardenia

Gardenia hybrid ‘Leefive’

Height at Maturity: 3-4 feet

Width at Maturity: 2-3 feet

Growth Habit / Form: Dense, Bushy, Narrow, Upright

Suggested Spacing: 2 feet apart for mass planting and 6 feet or more for plant spacing

Fool Proof Gardenia

Gardenia jasminoides ‘Leesix’

Height at Maturity: 3-4 feet

Width at Maturity: 3 feet

Growth Habit / Form: Bushy, Dense

Suggested Spacing: 2.5-3 feet apart for mass planting and 6 feet or more for plant spacing

Hardy Fragrant Daisy Gardenia Bush

Gardenia jasminoides ‘Daisy’

Height at Maturity: 3-4 feet

Width at Maturity: 3-4 feet

Growth Habit / Form: Bushy, Dense, Mounding, Upright

Suggested Spacing: 3 feet apart for mass planting and 5 feet or more for plant spacing

The Big White Gardenia Flower Blooming in Dark Background

Dwarf Gardenia as Groundcover

Here are gardenia varieties as a groundcover. It provides dense cover to your ground.

Radicans Creeping Dwarf Gardenia

Gardenia jasminoides ‘Radicans’

Height at Maturity: 2 feet

Width at Maturity: 3-4 feet

Growth Habit / Form: Bushy, Dense, Mounding 

Suggested Spacing: 3 feet apart for mass planting and 6 feet or more for plant spacing

Variegated Creeping Dwarf Gardenia

Gardenia jasminoides ‘Variegated Radicans’ – Syn. Gardenia augusta ‘Radicans Variegata’

Height at Maturity: 12-18 inches

Width at Maturity: 2-3 feet

Growth Habit: Mounding, Trailing/Spreading

Foliage Color: Dark Green edged in white

Suggested Spacing: 2 feet apart for mass planting and 4 feet or more for plant spacing

‘Crescent Moon’ Dwarf Gardenia

Gardenia jasminoides ‘Crescent Moon’

Height at Maturity: 12-18″

Width at Maturity: 3-4′

Growth Habit / Form: Mounding, Trailing/Spreading

Foliage Color: Dark green with white streaks

Suggested Spacing: 3 feet apart for mass planting and 6 feet or more for plant spacing

For more information about gardenia varieties used as a hedge, you can visit Wilson Bros Gardens.

How to Plant a Gardenia as a Hedge?

Plan Ahead

Before you start to grow hedge in your garden, careful planning is a standard operating procedure. If it’s well-planned, you get better results and require less work as hedge hits maturity.

Select the Best Plant for Your Garden

Choose a hedge plant with a mature height that is close to your ideal hedge height. It will help reduce the amount of pruning necessary to keep your hedge in good condition. Remember to know what gardenia plants thrive in your region as not all gardenias are suited for specific climates.

Check the Spacing Requirements

After you’ve chosen your plants, determine the proper spacing. As a result, you will know the number of plants for your gardenia hedge.

Choose the Most Suitable Location for Your Hedge

It is very important to know the right location and light requirements for your selected gardenia species. Bad location results in a withered hedge.

Prepare the Garden Bed

Remove any undesirable plants or any objects before you start to plant. Dig a hole twice as big as the plant’s root ball.

Plant the Gardenia According to Suggested Plant Spacing

Fill the hole with garden soil and plant the gardenia according to its space requirements. Make sure to cover enough the roots.

Water and Fertilize your Gardenia

Water your gardenia well. Keep it always moist but not too soggy. Add an appropriate amount of high-quality fertilizer.

Always Check

Maintain the health and look of your gardenia by keeping an eye on it especially on pests and diseases.

Hedge Maintenance

There are a few things that you can do to maintain your gardenia hedge. One of the most important things is to water it regularly. Make sure to water it thoroughly and allow the soil to dry out between waterings. You should also fertilize it every couple of months with high-quality plant food. Gardenias grow best in warm climates with plenty of sunlight and moist soil. Gardenias prefer well-drained soil that is rich in organic matter and pH 6.0-7.5. Gardenias should be fertilized every two weeks during the growing season with a balanced fertilizer that contains nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, and magnesium.

Another important thing is to prune your gardenia occasionally. Pruning will help remove dead or diseased branches, as well as promote new growth. You should also trim off any brown leaves that may be developing.

Guide to Pruning Gardenia Hedge and Grow Fuller

It might appear to be easy but it really needs extra care when it comes to pruning hedges. Here are a few guidelines on how to maintain a hedge.

Know When to Start Pruning

To prune a gardenia you need to know the bloom cycle. The ideal time to prune your gardenia is right after the bloom period ends. While your hedge is still young, lightly trims it with only 2cm. This would encourage dense growth all over the plant instead of growing leggy and taller.

How Often to Prune

Pruning is essential after your hedge has achieved the correct height to maintain it the size and form you wish. The frequency with which this must be done is determined by the rate at which your hedge grows, which is controlled by climate, growth circumstances, and the type of plant chosen. Some hedges in warm areas may require monthly pruning throughout the hot, rainy growth seasons, but in colder climes, the same plant may only require 3 or 4 prunings each year to maintain a tight hedge.

How Much to Prune

As a general guideline, unless you’re recovering an old hedge, you should never prune back into bare wood. For most hedges, just approximately 5-10cm of growth should be cut each time. As a general guideline, unless you’re recovering an old hedge, you should never prune back into bare wood. This may be much less for a very tight formal hedge.

Getting the Right Shape

The majority of hedges are manicured into generally rectangular shapes with variable heights. Once the hedge has the size and form you want, a little regular pruning will allow you to keep the shape straight by following the hedge’s current line. If the hedge needs more pruning to regain its shape, you can use a string line to assist maintain the line you are trimming to straight. If you are unsure, get a professional to shape the hedge, and you will discover that keeping the design will be much easier.

When trimming the vertical edge of a hedge, make sure the bottom is somewhat broader than the top. It is not uncommon for the reverse to occur without design. Lower areas of the hedge will receive less daylight than the top, resulting in poorer leaf coverage on lower parts. By making the base of the hedge a bit broader than the top, the lower branches can catch enough sunlight to stay leafy.

In an upward sweep, cut the vertical side of a hedge. A downward sweep pushes branches down into the hedge, resulting in an irregular cut.

Tidying up prunings

Brush the top of the hedge with your fingers or a gentle grass rake after cutting it to remove any leaves. When leaves die on top of the hedge, they not only seem unattractive, but also obstruct sunlight from reaching the young leaves below, resulting in barren patches.

Like any other plant, gardenias are susceptible to pests and diseases. If one plant suffers from a pest or disease, the entire hedges become affected. It would take years to fill the dead plant and lower the chances of success. Thus, preventive measures are a must.

A white gardenia (Gardenia jasminoides) in bloom in a green garden.

Benefits of Having Gardenia Hedge

Unlike fences and walls, a hedge has a lot of practical functions as well as adds beauty, and has environmental benefits. You can even trim them in your desired shapes and sizes. Here are the benefits of having a gardenia hedge:

Creates an attractive natural barrier around your property

Natural barriers can be very attractive additions to your property, as they provide a natural way of defending it from the outside world. By planting gardenia near your property’s edge, you can create a strong physical barrier that is unlikely to be easily broken through and help keep your property protected from invaders.

Forms an effective windbreak that stops the winds from inflicting harm to your property

Forms an effective windbreak that stops the winds from inflicting harm to your property. A windbreak can help to protect your property from the harmful effects of wind. By erecting a windbreak, you can prevent winds from blowing across your property, potentially damaging your property or causing a disturbance in the air that could be harmful to you and your pets.

Provides privacy for you and your family

Hedges can hide the inside of the house from an outsider’s eyes when you want to open your window blinds and curtains for fresh air. They can help you to securely hide your assets and areas of the property from other people in the area. By planting them near your house, they will provide a natural form of protection that cannot easily be broken through.

Helps reduce noise levels in neighborhoods by absorbing sound waves

Plants do absorb sounds. Thus, it can help reduce noise level from the outside.

Help improve air quality by trapping dust, pollen, and other pollutants

Help improve air quality by trapping dust, pollen, and other pollutants. Planting a gardenia hedge close to where you live helps trap any pollens or airborne particles that may be floating around your area producing an airy particle that makes people feel uncomfortable in their environment

Increases species diversity in your neighborhood

It attracts birds and insects like butterflies and bees as well as provides food and shelter to other wildlife in your garden.

Provides shade during hot weather

Hedge helps to reduce exposure of your home to the sun’s harmful rays. It provides shade during hot weather by absorbing sunlight and preventing it from reaching the ground. This can help to reduce the amount of heat that is radiated up from the ground, which can in turn reduce the amount of energy that is needed to maintain a comfortable temperature.

Reduces the effects of wind and weather damage on buildings and other structures

Hedges are helpful in reducing the effects of wind and weather damage on buildings or other structures because they can block cold air drafts that might cause cracks near windows which would allow water to seep through them. They act as barriers that can reduce the impact of strong wind and prevent debris from breaking the windows.