Giverny Impression > Giverny > Paulownia

Paulownia

by Ariane ~ May 20, 2010

paulownia.jpg
The beautiful lavender blossom of the paulownia in Monet’s flower garden at Giverny harmonizes with the orange azaleas of the water garden, on the other side of the road.

The paulownia blooms exactly at the same time than the lavender wisterias gracing Monet’s Japanese footbridge.

Is it intended or not? What is a coincidence, and what is due to the choices of a clever gardener?

In Monet’s garden, I believe most of the meetings between plants aren’t accidental. Monet, as well as the present day head gardener, was very good at organising dates among the flowers.

Posted in Giverny, Monet's flower garden, Water-Garden

2 Responses to “Paulownia”

  1. David Ewins Says:
    July 27th, 2022 at 4:20 am

    Hello. When I visited Giverny 2 plus years ago the Paulownia you picture and discuss was dead. The head gardener said it was to be cut down tomorrow. I asked if I could collect some seed pods and I got permission. A year later I got these Paulownia seeds to germinate and now have a few trees from these seeds. I did write to Giverny once in English and once in French and offered them a tree but got no reply.

    I still have some

    David Bath UK.

    Holder of the National Collection of Paulownias in the UK

  2. Ariane Says:
    July 27th, 2022 at 10:43 am

    David, it’s fantastic! You have a green thumb indeed! The paulownia of Giverny has been replaced by a new one, there is no need for more in the garden, this is why you didn’t get a reply, I suppose. It had no connection with Monet anyway, except that Monet had one at this spot. The one that you saw dying had been planted in the 1970ies. I hope yours will be the joy of several avid gardeners! Thank you for your kind offer!

Leave a Reply