Thomas Jefferson's Flowers

The fascinating and innovative horticultural world of the Sage of MonticelloContemplating the conclusion of his public life in 1809, Thomas Jefferson observed, "e;I retire to my family, my books and farms. . . . Nature intended me for the tranquil pursuits of science, by rendering them my supreme delight."e; Drawing on a deep understanding of Jefferson as a scientific gentleman farmer, Monticello's official curator of plants offers a definitive account of the planning and preservation of the paths, borders, and flowerbeds of Jefferson's "e;little mountain."e;This richly illustrated book examines Jefferson's gardening friendships in the United States and abroad, his many botanical and horticultural influences, and the role of his family relationships-as well as of enslaved individuals such as Wormley Hughes and Burwell Colbert-in his gardening pursuits. Informed by Monticello's ongoing research and the preservation and educational efforts of the Center for Historic Plants, the book includes a comprehensive annotated list of the flowers documented by Jefferson in the gardens at Shadwell, Monticello, and Poplar Forest, affording visitors, gardeners, and scholars alike a handy reference that is eye-catching, substantive, and comprehensive.