Thomas Jefferson's Garden Book, 1766-1824: With Relevant Extracts from His Other Writings

by Thomas Jefferson, Edwin Morris Betts (Editor)

Jefferson's love of gardening is well known. In his day Jefferson not only planned but also worked in the gardens at Monticello, aided by his family members, slaves, and European workers. His delight in gardening is also revealed in his correspondence with leading horticulturists worldwide, bringing to Virginia curiosities such as peppers from Mexico, figs from France, and bean varieties collected by the Lewis and Clark expedition. Jefferson family letters are filled with a "garden gossip" that belies a child-like enthusiasm for the strawberries, tulips, and sugar maples at home. Of course, the greatest evidence of Jefferson's horticultural passion thrives in the restored gardens at Monticello, admired the world over. Thomas Jefferson's Garden Book documents his varied approaches to gardening, whether as landscape architect, pleasure gardener, or horticultural scientist. In his Garden Book, the horticultural diary which he kept from 1766 until 1824, Jefferson noted such observations as how the gardens were sown, the extent of frost damage to his and other area gardens, and when vegetables came "to table." To these detailed but lapsing records, the late Edwin Morris Betts, professor of biology at the University of Virginia, added his own commentary, as well as selections from Jefferson's other writings--compelling letters, unpublished memoranda, sketches, and related entries from Jefferson's Farm, Account, Weather, and Memorandum Books. Completing this collection is a new introduction by Peter J. Hatch, Director of Gardens and Grounds at Monticello for more than two decades.

Genres: Gardening, History, Nonfiction

704 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1944

About the author

Thomas Jefferson was an American statesman, diplomat, lawyer, architect, philosopher, and Founding Father who served as the third president of the United States from 1801 to 1809. He was the primary author of the Declaration of Independence. Following the American Revolutionary War and prior to becoming president in 1801, Jefferson was the nation's first U.S. secretary of state under George Washington and then the nation's second vice president under John Adams. Jefferson was a leading proponent of democracy, republicanism, and individual rights, and produced formative documents and decisions at the state, national, and international levels. His writings and advocacy for human rights, including freedom of thought, speech, and religion, served as substantial inspirations to the American Revolution and subsequent Revolutionary War in which the Thirteen Colonies succeeded in breaking from British America and establishing the United States as a sovereign nation.
During the American Revolution, Jefferson represented Virginia at the Second Continental Congress and served as the second governor of Virginia from 1779 to 1781. In 1785, Congress appointed Jefferson U.S. minister to France, where he served from 1785 to 1789. President Washington then appointed Jefferson the nation's first secretary of state, where he served from 1790 to 1793. During this time, in the early 1790s, Jefferson and James Madison organized the Democratic-Republican Party to oppose the Federalist Party during the formation of the nation's First Party System. Jefferson and Federalist John Adams became both friends and political rivals. In the 1796 U.S. presidential election between the two, Jefferson came in second, which made him Adams' vice president under the electoral laws of the time. Four years later, in the 1800 presidential election, Jefferson again challenged Adams, and won the presidency. In 1804, Jefferson was reelected overwhelmingly to a second term.
As president, Jefferson assertively defended the nation's shipping and trade interests against Barbary pirates and aggressive British trade policies, promoted a western expansionist policy with the Louisiana Purchase, which doubled the nation's geographic size, and was able to reduce military forces and expenditures following successful negotiations with France. In his second presidential term, Jefferson was beset by difficulties at home, including the trial of his former vice president Aaron Burr. In 1807, Jefferson implemented the Embargo Act to defend the nation's industries from British threats to U.S. shipping, limiting foreign trade and stimulating the birth of the American manufacturing industry. Presidential scholars and historians praise Jefferson's public achievements, including his advocacy of religious freedom and tolerance, his peaceful acquisition of the Louisiana Territory from France, and his leadership in supporting the Lewis and Clark Expedition; they give radically differing interpretations of his views on and relationship with slavery.
Jefferson is ranked by both scholars and in public opinion among the upper-tier of American presidents.

Reviews

[Robert Mueller · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book to read little bits of information from. Gives a lot of perspective of how Jefferson managed his garden and he philosophy on agriculture. Not the best book if you want current trends of vegetables but the growing practices and how to bookkeep a garden is what I got great info from.

[Crystal · Rating 5 out of 5]

While I didn't read every single word in this book, I still covered the length of it with a serious skimming, stoppin at points of interest. This is a fascinating history of Jefferson's gardening interests with other interesting tidbits among his journals and letters. Definately good for research about Jefferson and part of his life. I enjoyed reading the gardening records this famous American kept and knowing the weather here in my native Virginia during the late at the turn of the 18th century.