Gardenias

Driving home this evening the air was a little cooler than normal, so we rode home with the windows rolled down. Apparently the rain dance we did the last few nights was successful because we got a good shower today. As we turned into our driveway, the fragrance of Gardenias drifted through the the window and the scent was intoxicating. I know roses smell good but Gardenias are my personal favorite. When I close my eyes and take in the smell, it puts me in a dreamlike state. They smell kind of like a first date. That notion hit me as I was trying to describe their bouquet. When I did a little Internet search, one of the first things I read is that they were favored in the 20's and 30's as corsages.
We have several Gardenia bushes in our yard. We started out with one but Jilda always breaks off the blooms and puts them in a vase in the living room. We discovered that if you keep water in the vase after the bloom falls off, the stem grows roots. When you set those out, you get lots of small Gardenia bushes. We must have given away a hundred bushes to family and friends.
If the bush is planted in a good location where the soil is good and the sunlight is favorable, they will bloom all summer. Another little gift from Mother Nature.