What Gardenia Am I Thinking Of?

Q: I’m on the hunt for an ‘old style’ gardenia that graced the yards of my youth.
They were large shrubs and were loaded with overpoweringly fragrant
blooms. They were occasionally killed back to the roots in the severe cold but
always came back. The gardenias I have don’t seem to smell as good as the old
one. 

A: My money is on Gardenia jasminoides ‘Aimee Yashioka’. It is a big shrub
and the fragrance is intense. It has ivory-white, double blooms that can reach
four to five inches across. Since you probably have room for only one shrub,
search carefully online. Contact the grower to be sure you get exactly the
shrub you want.