20 Ornamental Shrubs. 



often reaching eight feet the first season. These are 

 covered with immense foliage, the individual leaves being 

 somewhat heart-shaped and a foot and a half broad by 

 two feet long. 



Though the paulownia does fairly well in New England 

 and New York, it should be planted there only in protected 

 situations, for its top is too large to withstand severe wind- 

 storms. The tree is more especially adapted to a warmer 

 climate, and should be entirely at home in the Southern 

 States. Says an English writer in one of the magazines : 

 " To see the paulownia to perfection in Europe one must go 

 to the sunny South, and I have a pleasing recollection of 

 the magnificent avenues I saw of it in full flower at the end 

 of April in the gardens of the Villa Borghese and the 

 Pincian Hill in Rome, where the climate exactly suits it." 

 It should be borne in mind that it may be grown as a tree 

 or a shrub, as when it is cut back from year to year it sends 

 up numerous vigorous shoots, and as few or as many may 

 be preserved as are desired, and they are never more 

 beautiful than during the first season's growth. 



Except for their size, the leaves very much resemble 

 those of the Catalpa speciosa, but are of a darker green and 

 better substance. It is for the foliage more than the flower 

 that the tree is prized by those who best know its worth. 

 On older trees the leaves are usually smaller, and so less 

 beautiful. For two reasons the tree to be at its best must 

 be sharply cut back every season one the preservation of 

 good form, and the other of good foliage. An old and mis- 

 shapen paulownia with distorted and bare limbs is like a 

 plague spot in any garden, and those who are accustomed 



