Gardenias usually produce flowers in response to a cool temp plunge during
the spring or early summer. To get the flowers you want, you'll have to
arrange with the powers-that-be to supply that temp dip every other week or
so in order to have a summer full of gardenias.
There are some varieties that are less sensitive to temperature including
the dwarf radicans.

"Frogleg" wrote in message
...
The Bush is in bloom. When I opened the back door yesterday evening,
the perfume was there. *So* disappointing to have all this glory
outdoors and no way (in my experience) to bring a few blooms indoors.
They *smell* nice enough, but they droop and sulk and are far from
pleasing to the eye. I've tried clipping long stems for a vase, and
short bits to "float" in a shallow container with little success. Are
there any of those "mash the stems", "add asprin", "cut in the dark of
the moon" methods that apply to gardenias?

Aside: What training program may be applied to make an 8' bush produce
3 blossoms per week (plenty) for the whole summer instead of 200
blooms over 10 days? :-)