Gardenia, known as Natane in the original Japanese versions, is the Gym Leader of Eterna City and specializes in Grass-type Pokémon. In her gym, challengers must locate and battle four hidden girls before facing Gardenia herself. Her team consists of Cherubi (Lv. 19), Turtwig (Lv. 19), and Roserade (Lv. 22). Upon defeating her, she awards the victor with the Forest Badge.
In the anime episode "The Grass Type is Always Greener," Gardenia expresses interest in trading a Vileplume, Victreebel, or Bellossom for James' Carnivine, though these three Pokémon never appeared in any episodes. Later, noticing that James' Cacnea wasn't being fully trained, she offered to take care of it and train it to become stronger after some unsuccessful attempts by James. She appears post-game near the Old Chateau, investigating strange occurrences there, presumably caused by Rotom, but she's too frightened to enter and leaves it to the player.
In the anime, Gardenia has an intense fondness for Grass-type Pokémon, often hugging almost every one she sees, except her own. She befriends Cheryl when they meet in Eterna Forest. In the episode "Once There Were Greenlands," Gardenia asks James for his Cacnea to train it and teach it Drain Punch.
