My daughter, son and I will be bringing Thomas Jefferson to the garden this year. No, not a statue, plaque or a pile of histric documents. Rather we will be exploring Jefferson’s passion for gardening. And Jefferson was a serious gardener. The gardens of Monticello are a testament to Jefferson’s obsession, and he kept detailed notes on the plants he grew. In fact, our third President was a bit of a spendthrift when it came to buying plants and seeds…. a familiar problem for me as well.
Our objective is to grow a selection of plants that Jefferson would have grown at Monticello. Most varieties still exist today, though some have been hybridized over the years. We have purchased the seeds, and will start some indoors this month. It will take some work, but I think it will be fun. The real reward will be this summer when the garden is in full swing. Summer days with Thomas Jefferson… what could be better?
Thomas Jefferson’s Flower Garden at Monticello by Edwin M. Betts and Hazlehurst Bolton Perkins is a good resource to learn more.
Our partial plant list this year:
- Amaranthus… several varieties, including Joseph’s Coat and Love-Lies-Bleeding
- Calendula
- Celosia- Indiana Giant Cockscomb. Jefferson generally avoided oddities, but he grew this one. Produces a huge comb.
- Cosmos
- Four O’Clocks- Sometime called “Marvel of Peru.” As the name suggest, the flowers really do open at 4:00PM.
- Larkspur
- Marigold
- Mimosa- Jefferson grew this- sometimes called the “Sensitive Plant.” The leaves close when touched.
- Tobacco- ornamental varieties. Fragrant at night. Sometimes this was planted under bedroom windows.
- Poppies
- Snapdragon
- Campanula
- Columbine (wild)
- Delphinium
- Foxglove
- Feverfew- great companion plant for roses. Feverfew produces a pyrethrin, which helps repel insects.
- Hollyhock- looking forward to these!
- Maltese Cross
- Musk Mallow
- Gladiolus
- Probably a few more that I’m forgetting.
We’ll also try to work in a few tea roses, herbs, and vegetables. My three year old son fell in love with a plant called “Kiss Me Over the Garden Gate” and is fascinated with the idea of Moonflowers and Morning Glory. While not exactly Jeffersonian, we’ll fit them in. I’m sure Thomas wouldn’t mind.
What a great idea for a garden! It wasn’t until I got into landscape design that I realized Thomas Jefferson was such an avid horticulturalist. I guess it’s one of those facts they neglected to teach us in history class. One of my favorite quotes about gardening comes from Jefferson – “Though an old man, I am but a young gardener.” I think about that quote whenever I feel like the more I learn about plants, there more I realize I don’t know.
The quote you mentioned is from a letter to Charles W. Peale in 1811. The longer version is: “I have often thought that if heaven had given me a choice of my position and calling, it should have been on a rich spot of earth, well watered, and near a good market for the productions of the garden. No occupation is so delightful to me as the culture of the earth, and no culture comparable to that of the garden… I am still devoted to the garden. But though an old man, I am but a young gardener.” Jefferson was 68 at the time, two years after his second term as president. It always amazes me that given a choice Jefferson would have preferred being a gardener rather than President.
[...] grasses or conifers) or even an historic garden (check out this blog post about creating a Jeffersonian garden). Assuming you stick to your theme, your garden will have a strong sense of [...]