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The hedge of Gardenias sits along a very smelly walk in the college. Perhaps the sewerage pipes are around here. In any case at times there is an odd smell emanating from something near here.
We have watched as the Gardenia hedge sprung forth with Spring growth, and watched as the buds formed. And then it happened. One Monday morning as I was passing on my way to class I saw the first buds. There were two that had opened up.
Within days there was a mass of blooms and the delicate aroma, the sweet delicate fragrance of the Gardenia filled our nostrils as we passed by. Late in the afternoon and early evening is best as the air is filled with this fragrance.
The flowers attract many students who pick the flowers - they don't live long, but I am sure the fragrance in the dormitories is most appreciated.
These are wonderful plants with brilliant shiney leaves and a flower with a special fragrance. I don't think they are supposed to do well in this sub tropical climate, but they do. My daughter has several growing at her place, and my plant grew from a cutting from one of her bushes. It grows in a pot - is somewhat neglected and has flowered several times in the couple of years that I have had it here.
The flowers don't seem to last long - but even as they are fading the fragrance can fill a room.
In the ponds near the entrance to the college were many plastic pots with small sticks in them. That's what they looked like when we arrived at the college just as winter was almost over. In the spring there was some activity in the pots and the sticks seemed to come to life - and green foliage slowly emerged. The gardeners put the pots further into the centre of the pond, and soon the foliage was flourishing. Goldfish swim in the pond and now had something to play hide and seek around. Just a couple of weeks ago I noticed the flowers. Beautiful strong flowers on a tall straight stem. There are pale pink, darker pink and white blooms and they are exquisite. When the flower fully opens up the seed pod is revealed and it grows larger as the petals fall into the water. 
