Who: Originally farmed by Thomas Jefferson, is currently be restored by Peter Hatch for The Center for Historic Plants
Where: 2,500 acre estate in Virginia
What: Monticello’s historic kitchen garden is currently being restored to its historic glory. Peter Hatch arrived in 1977 and began transforming it back to it’s original state. Flower beds had been placed over the kitchen garden area, but they were removed to reinstate the vegetable garden. Gardeners use historically correct (or as close as they can get) methods to recreate the garden, such as using peach twigs for cucumber supports and terra-cotta forcing cloches to blanch kale. Historically, the garden was terraced into the hillside, in a 1,000 foot length site. Within that terrace, about mid point, stands the garden pavilion. This was used by Jefferson as a get-a-way where he could read in the evenings. The main part of the garden is divided into twenty four square growing plots, arrange according to which part of the plant that was being harvested. The site of the garden creates a micro-climate that allows for an extended growing season through the winter months. Jefferson often ate many salads and vegetables as his main diet, but also grew many other vegetables such as English peas, figs, asparagus, French artichokes, tomatoes, eggplant, broccoli and cauliflower. He also cultivated more common vegetables such as cucumbers, beans, cabbages, and, his prized variety, sea kale. Jefferson was quite the observer of the natural world, and even wrote his own gardening book with his observations and results from his various gardening ‘experiments’, which has allowed for the garden staff to restore the garden to a similar version of what it once was.
Why: The study of Monticello fascinated me on several levels. Mainly, the restoration of the garden and many of the techniques that Jefferson used in his garden were of key interest to me, as this could serve as a great example as to how historical practices could be implemented today. This restoration just goes to show how easily attainable it is to document and use historic techniques in regular gardens year round.
Books to Read: “A Rich Spot of Earth” Thomas Jefferson’s Revolutionary Garden at Monticello by Peter Hatch- Buy it Here
Thomas Jefferson’s Garden Book Edited by Edwin Morris Betts- Buy it Here
Additional Resources and Picture Sources:
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