Friday Photo: Dream Garden

Jefferson’s Vegetable Garden

(Let’s get it out of the way: Yes, we’d ALL love gardens like this, wouldn’t we? Wow! Definitely enjoy large. Oh, for a wide-angle lens!)

Like many of the Founders, Jefferson considered himself an agrarian first and foremost. Like Washington, Jefferson was always investigating and inventing new methods of cultivation and production. Jefferson of course introduced a few new plants to America. Though he grew many things over the years, Jefferson still placed a premium on varieties that produced well and in a hardily: “I am curious to select one or two of the best species or variety of every garden vegetable, and to reject all others from the garden to avoid the dangers of mixing or degeneracy.”

The vegetable garden is divided into 24 growing plots along its 1,000-foot terrace. The view, as you can see, is quite remarkable. Beneath it are Jefferson’s orchards, vineyards, and berry squares; using clever landscaping he created microclimates for more tender plants like figs and French artichokes.

Being in the hills of Virginia meant, of course, that the critters were interested in Jefferson’s veggies, too, though their palates were presumably not so interested in the subtleties of flavour or production. Therefore, Jefferson had the garden and orchard surrounded with a ten-foot high wooden fence that ran about 3/4 mile.

Beautiful, peaceful, bountiful place…

Have a lovely weekend!