Founding Gardeners

I uploaded pictures hoping to publish this post while out of town. Computer problems changed my plans. My visit north provided many things to share, but those posts will be coming. First, I would like to recommend a great book for history lovers, especially those who also like gardening.

Founding Gardeners is the story of four of our founding fathers; Washington, Jefferson, Adams, and Madison and their gardens and other agricultural and naturalist adventures. It also probes their desire for an agrarian United States of America as opposed to Alexander Hamilton and his push for federalism, large urban areas, and industrialism.

Did you know that Jefferson joined Franklin on a tour of English gardens while both were in London trying to negotiate treaty agreements? They were delighted to find that many English country gardens were already full of native American plants by the 1770's.

Andrea Wulf, the author of Founding Gardens, is British and a garden historian. I wish that she had published this book and that I had read it before touring the gardens of founding fathers fiveand a half years ago. What was already a very rich and enjoyable experience could have been even better.

Here I am at Mt. Vernon. Now I know how George Washington planned the lovely approach to his home and planned for each tree in the lovely "forests" of trees framing out his home.

I would have known how he also went to great lengths to provided this sloping view of the Potomac River from the rear veranda of his home.

George Washington could hardly wait to return home to work on his gardens. He sent detailed letters to his overseer as he supervised the building of the gardens.

Thomas Jefferson leveled off an entire mountain top to create Monticello and its surrounding gardens. He also planned every bush and tree.

He incorporated both the ornamental plants and the food producing plants in his plans while creating lovely vistas.

He leveled off areas for the the beautifully planned vegetable gardens. Monticello was a joy to visit. My one regret: we did not take the time to also visit James Madison's home of Montpelier which was just a few short miles from Monticello. It was in initial stages of restoration at the time of our trip, but the restoration is now complete. Maybe next time!

I also need to take a trip to Boston now that their massive road construction project is complete. We only visited the outskirts on our previous northeast visit meaning Lexington and Concord. This time I would also make it a point to visit the farm in Quincey of John Adams. He alone farmed his own smaller area of land slave free.

I found it fascinating to take a trip back in time with a gardening frame of mind.


My little container garden planted out in October is doing well.

It makes me really happy.

Fresh garden produce newly picked is so delicious.

While I was away, my son and his wife were garden caretakers. Nichelle took this picture of the harvest she gleaned from my little garden. Yum!


And finally, before all things Christmas, I just had to share this shot of my last giant sunflower.

Happy gardening to all you gardeners. May you be inspired by our "founding gardeners!"