Once a year, a certain wildling outside our kitchen window redeems itself with a spectacular show. We inherited this quite old and unruly shrub, and had planned to remove it after completion of the house renovation. The contractors even whacked it back severely. The whacking stopped one spring when I noticed an abundance of white flowers. White! Be still my heart! What have we done to this poor thing? Well, in our defense it does look rather pedestrian when not in bloom. After some research, I learned the shrub is a deutzia. For two weeks each spring, she becomes
my dazzling deutzia!
In addition to the deutzia, these plants are blooming now.
Ms. Deutzia in full bloom outside our gray kitchen
I took this photo on a clear blue sky morning
A portico bench in the potting area next to the deutzia
In front, white shrub roses are blooming
These single white roses will bloom continuously from May to October
American wisteria vines on the pergola terrace
This is mischievous Mocha not wanting to come inside. You all met her brother Panda recently.
Amsonia “Blue Ice” and alliums blooming in the blue garden
Hi Loi! Never heard of this plant Deutzia before. It is gorgeous! So lucky it didn't die altogether when it was whacked and glad you decided not to replace it! The wisteria looks fabulous too, dressing up your beautiful pergola.
Thanks for sharing, once again, Loi!
Oh, and nice to meet you Mocha!
Kifus
Hi Loi – More beautiful photos from your garden! Such a nice treat on a Friday afternoon. Mocha does look mischievous and as if she's smiling a bit. Have a great weekend! I'm posting from my other blog, btw (rather than Boxwood Terrace). Experimenting with blogging!
Deborah
(Boxwood Terrace)
WOW! Your garden is stunning Loi! And your deutzia certainly is a dazzler! I must get me one of those, what a beauty. The shrub roses are lovely, what variety are they? also, I've never heard of Amsonia, lovely to find a new plant, it's very pretty. Loi, I just ADORE your kitchen! It is to die for. Would you mind sharing the paint colours on the wall and cabinets? If you have some free time you wouldn't just pop over here and finish my garden and re-do my kitchen for me????? BTW Mocha is a sweetheart she has the same kind of face as my dog!
Sharon
xxxx
Thank you for asking about my kitchen paint colors. The walls are painted Benjamin Moore classic gray OC 23, and the gray cupboards were painted by the manufacturer, Tedd Wood. http://www.teddwood.com
Cheers,
Loi
I've never heard of Deutzia either. Gorgeous blooms. Envious of your wisteria too. There's a wisteria arbor built next to the Harris Teeter in Arlington (Harrison St) and I was over there just today smelling the blooms.
I am new to deutzia too. They are charming. I must also mention that you are in ownership of my ideal kitchen. I have wanted a gray and white kitchen since I left my first house. I put a white and gray kitchen in that house 17 years ago and I still love them.
Your dazzling deutzia is amazing! What a delightful surprise! All your blooms are gorgeous…oh how we love spring! I LOVE your kitchen. Last summer, my Dad and I did a makeover of my little kitchen up at the lake house…we painted the cupboards white and the countertops gray! I love it…but yours is waaayyyy better! :)P. S. Mocha has the cutest expression on her face.
Take care, Laura
First, I am crazy about the casement window in your perfect kitchen. (Also, brushed metal outlet covers – I will remember that.) Second, your wisteria is the most disciplined and tidy wisteria I have ever seen and blooming profusely. It is all too beautiful! And the pup looks pretty great, as well. Have a great weekend! Phyllis
Hi Loi,
Thank you for the inspiration for the coming weekend of weeding!
I will keep your glorious photos in my mind as a reminder of what could be…
Loi you are killing me! Be still MY heart!!!! We are still cool and waiting for magnolias to bloom! You are blessed with an abundance of beauty surrounding your home…just another case of the exterior matching the INTERIOR;) Happy Friday:) PS, love the copper downspouts!!! Brenda.
I've never heard of a deutzia, but wow, how delightful to have a tree of white flowers!!! I love that photograph against the crisp blue sky – stunning image! I love your little Mocha in the lavender!! And the wisteria…ahhh. I love to garden but I must admit that I find it quite depressing to garden when I see all these southern gardens in full bloom. Honestly, we barely have shoots coming up right now – my clematis is about 6" tall. Our garden will not begin to really bloom until mid-to-late June. I cannot grow lavender here (it is an annual here!) and things like my hydrangeas don't bloom until September. I cannot grow boxwood (this utterly depresses me…). I would die just to have boxwood. It is a struggle Loi, but I can live vicariously through you! 🙂
I owe you an email (soon) – it has been a mad week and I have to go to the office tomorrow. Ugh. Soon, xo Terri
The florals are gorgeous!!! I am so glad to find you!!
Have a great weekend!
I hope you will come and see my feature on Tina of the Enchanted Home!
xoxo
Karena
Art by Karena
I am deeply in love with your kitchen, house in general – interior and exterior, garden, adorable dogs ,and so it would seem now, a Deutzia. I can't see a square inch of any of the photographs that isn't pink perfection, and believe me I have looked.
I just love your home and garden and now I'm in love with Mocha and Panda. Ms. Deutzia may have needed the hard pruning to come back to give you a show. I will never grow tired of looking at your garden, what a peaceful place, and I'm secretly coveting your bird bath!
XX
Debra~
I love wisteria and everything about it! It looks fabulous here. The scrub has amazing white blooms. I have never heard of it. I will have to look around.
You garden is just so beautiful, and the roses are perfect.
Happy Saturday.
Teresa
xoxo
I just LOVE your blog! Your garden is incredible! I just saw you left a comment on one of my posts and I felt like such a rock star 🙂 Thanks for checking out my humble blog!
Hi, Loi,
This must be a fabulous time of year for you. The garden is gives so much pleasure when it is in bloom…and yours gives more than most. Thanks for letting me share in the enjoyment of your beautiful garden, home and dogs.
Best…Victoria
Loi,
Happy Spring! Nature always amazes us. Showing us some of the most unexpected. Your garden looks so lovely and Mocha will smell lovely once she is finished rolling in the lavenders. She says "why come inside? It is so wonderful out here" so cute.
I've taking cuttings from my shrubs and started rooting them. I just read that "honey" can be used as a rooting starter ( just cut, dip cutting, place in starter pots, water and wait) so we shall see 🙂
Have a great weekend you really don't have to go that far to do that…it's right outside your door.
Bette
Hello darling Loi!
What a beautiful series of garden photos….not to mention your kitchen.
I am insanely attracted to topiary and love the combination of elegance and whimsy that they bring to a space.
You have such an incredible eye for beauty and detail….it is always a joy to see that you have a new post online!!!!
Have a wonderful weekend on the East Coast.
Simone
Hello, First, you have such a stunning garden setting and it goes without saying that I adore your design style. I'm a big fan, finding you first on Pinterest via Velvet & Linen and then saw your gorgeous home and garden on the blog. I am beyond excited that you visited. Thank you so much for including me. Honored! You, of course were already on my blog. Thank you again and have a wonderful weekend, Monica
Absolutely spectacular blooms and kitchen and photos and Mocha…and you! Hope you're having a lovely weekend.
xo Nancy
Powellbrowerhome.com
Dear Loi, I can imagine how elated you must have been upon seeing the emergence of those coveted fluffy white petals. The picture of the Deutzia next to the portico bench is wonderful. Is it scented?
I have never heard of or seen Amsonia 'Blue ice' but I like it very much. That pale violet-blue is gorgeous and works so well with the palette of your garden.
Paul
Unfortunately, Ms. Deutzia is not scented 🙁 She is glorious right now….a huge, puff of white. Thanks for asking! Loi
Hi Loi,
Thanks for visiting my blog. Your garden and blog are both very elegant. I love those carved limestone flame top finials from Bordeaux from en earlier post. Looks like both have a deep appreciation of structure in the garden!
Hi Loi,
Beautiful gardens. I am trying desperately to grow a Wisteria in Alberta Canada. I also love white flowers. I know some people who say they don't like the white flowers because after having winter and all the white snow they want color in their yard. I don't care I love my white flowers.
What a treat to see your gorgeous gardens…love the white roses and the wisteria on the arbor is amazing!! Hope you are having a wonderful weekend.
Happy Mother's Day Ms. Deutzia!! Mom's are strong, selfless, and a little unruly – ha!
Yes, indeed! 🙂 Thanks for stopping by! Loi
The gardens around your home are beautiful. Love seeing all your wonderful images. They are like a piece of art..
Love your blooms, but especially love that adorable face on Mocha! So darn cute! Thank you for my TT "fix" today! ~Delores
Hi Loi, I've never heard of deutzia, but it's spectacular!! I loved your story of her first bloom. Your garden is beautiful & so are your pictures. Adorable helper!
have a wonderful week! -Robin
Beautiful post Loi! I love your gardens and all the beautiful plants! Thanks for sharing!
Love the deutzia story and its crisp white blooms against the beautiful blue sky. Do you recall the variety of white shrub roses? Lovely. The wisteria is quite obedient, perfectly creeping to the corner of the pergola, softening the space where the house and pergola come together. I love your downspouts and lanterns!
Mocha is a little mophead cutie amongst the lavender!!! The amsonia is a new one for me and another blue. Like you it seems, our favorite plants in the garden are blue and purple. For some reason, the cool colors are the most elegant. The hot pink of our azaleas that are blooming right now are almost too showy.
Another great garden post by Loi! Your kitchen sink area is perfect, love the greys.
Loi
Your garden looks absolutely stunning right now. I so enjoy seeing what is blooming in your beautiful Eastern Garden. My wisteria has lost all but a very few blooms and yours is just starting. Your pup is adorable. I bet he and my Beau could get into a lot of trouble! Cindy
Loi, Loi, LOI!!! Your house and garden are just an absolute DREAM! I'm beginning to wake up in the middle of the night dreaming about that garden AND your incredible home – my husband will never believe that my night time mutterings are to do with your wisteria, boxwood and incredibly beautiful furniture!
Thank you SO much for your wonderful comments on my blog about my writing – but what I want to know is – when is YOUR coffee table book coming out??? I want that one on a pre-order, because it is BOUND to sell out straight away!!!
Paula xxx
Simply stunning photos. I love the white blooms on the deutzia. I'm such a fan of white flowers. And wisteria is an all time fav. Your garden looks so inviting……..thanks for sharing it with the rest of us.
I could just look at these over and over…in fact I will tonight on my ipad when I should be sleeping!
Beautiful!
Lovely as always Loi. Mocha looks so at home in the lavender, what a sweetheart. Now tell me, any tricks to induce those prolific blooms? And is wisteria very high maintenance? 🙂
Thanks, Ann. We just give the wisteria a pruning in the winter, and in the summer. And, cut back the suckers / shoots. Loi
Hello Loi, (and hello Mocha),
More great photos of your wonderful garden.
I have seen Deutzia in the garden centre, but had no idea that it would grow into such an impressive plant.
Your Wisteria is looking glorious, after early promise, I think ours is going to be a wash-out this year.
Hope you have a lovely day.
Lizx
I love your garden!
Markus
Loi,
Your views are breathtaking! Thank you for sharing them with us!
I love the color palette and plant choices…so perfect…so you!
Mocha is just as adorable as her brother! What precious pet children!
I love the look of wisteria, I was told by the local nursery it attracted bees…is it a problem for you?
I would love to have it clamoring up my new pergola!
Have a wonderful week!
Donna
Hi Loi,
Thanks for stopping by my blog/garden today. I can't believe you know my brother–what a small world. I've been reading Tone on Tone I think since you started it. Always such beautiful photos. Your home and garden are really beautiful.
Incredible beauty, what fabulous inspiration!
LOVE your beautiful garden and home!!! Keep the posts coming. Your blog is now one of my favorites!
Leigh
Oh my goodness, Loi – you take really great pics! I think you may need to teach us. AND BTW – 48 comments? Seriously, I need to get in line. Can I get your autograph? 🙂
Loi! I'm so glad you did this post. We have the same shrub, and the funny thing is, we almost hacked it off too! We have been here almost 4 years, and it's quite big, but this is the first year that it has bloomed. It was such a treat, blooming right outside our dining room window. I has no idea what it was called. We didn't get as many blossoms as you, but hopefully she will continue to thrive next year.
Also, my lavender exploded this year–I'm SOOO excited! Seeing yours sent swooning. This is this first year that mine will bloom. Some have started to turn purple, but most buds are still that lovely silvery green. I will have to post pictures soon.
Your garden is such an inspiration. Just like you! xoxo
I had to come back for the 3rd time because it is just so beautiful and perhaps I am a wee bit addicted to your blog! That PERGOLA!
What a fantastic surprise it must have given you with that really spectacular blooming! I love a predominance of white in gardens. Your touches of blue are awesome too. My backyard is very slowly being transformed into a garden, and I keep wondering whether to use mainly white (because it's so restful) or to incorporate color (which I also love). Decisions… Keep on inspiring me with your amazing posts!
Keri
Oh my. That view from your kitchen window is amazing! I'd want to stand there much of the day. And the roses. Just glorious! I love white, too. It gets oppressively hot here in Dallas, and white flowers just look cooler to me when it's over 100 degrees out.
Somebody has a green thumb…..beautiful grounds. Perhaps I need to get myself into my back yard and try to create some beauty.
I love your kitchen! May I ask what color paint you used on the walls? Thanks.
I love your kitchen! May I ask what color paint you used on the walls? Thanks.
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