I went in for a replacement toilet flapper and came out with a gardenia.

===>>> well.. what can i say .. lol .. oh.. did you remember the flapper???

ken

I'm happy to say that I did. And no more running water in the toilet. I'll recoup the cost of the gardenia with the water bill :)

By the way, Gardenia is only hardy to Zone 7. I would suggest protecting it somehow, especially in below-zero weather.

This cultivar of hardy gardenia is supposedly hardy to -5F or zone 6B. IME, foliage damage to a gardenia from winter cold can happen easily at temps much warmer than that so I'd agree that some sort of protection should be in order.

Thanks everybody. I planted today. We're expecting rain for the next 3 days, so in she went along with tulips and other fall bulbs. I mulched but will add some leaves later this fall when the wetness drys up from the passing storm. Why do they sell stuff in the garden centers that isn't hardy? Make no sense cuz if it dies in the first year I'll take it back. Geez..
Well happy Fall everyone.