All posts by jane

Jefferson – Gardener, Botanist, and Foodie

education, vegetables

This evening I was able to attend a lecture given by Peter Hatch about Thomas Jefferson’s vegetable garden at Monticello. Peter served as the director of gardens and grounds at Monticello for 35 years. After arriving there in 1977, he helped restore the gardens to their original, grand state with the aid of Jefferson’s meticulous garden and land survey notes and drawings.

Thomas Jefferson referred to the 8 acre vegetable garden as his “retirement garden.” The 1,000 ft long terrace was carved out of the side of a hill and overlooked a fruit orchard and berry patches. This unique location allowed year-around growing since it created a type of microclimate.

Within the vegetable garden, Jefferson planted according to which part of the plant was to be harvested. He kept a garden journal with detailed notes on when vegetables were planted, sprouted, blossomed, and bore fruit. From the slides we were shown of this journal, one could also see the word “failed” written in many columns. This did not seem to discourage him.

The vegetable garden became a type of “Ellis Island” for new and experimental plants from all parts of the world. Jefferson used the garden as a type of laboratory. He often grew vegetables not easily found elsewhere like potatoes, tomatoes, okra, pattypan squash, and peppers. He would document life cycles of garden pests and how the insects affected the plants. Jefferson’s Garden Book is available for browsing on the Massachusettes Historical Society’s website.

Native Sale – The Rest of the Story

front bed, native plants, pollinators, sidewalk bed, the Lot

The Plaster Creek Stewards had a native plant sale this afternoon hosted at the public library. According to their site, the group “is a collaboration of Calvin College faculty, staff, and students working with local schools, churches, and community partners to restore the health and beauty of the watershed.” The group focuses their efforts on “three areas: education, research, and on-the-ground restoration in the watershed.”

The plant sale was one of the many activities held in the city to celebrate Earth Week 2014. On the 15th of this month, I had attended a seminar at the Frederick Meijer Gardens about native plants.  Native Plants in the Garden was given by Brian Majka of Cardno JFNew. So when I attended the native plant sale, I had a list of plants to seek out for specific, challenging areas of the Lot.

Native Plants for Dry, Sandy Shade

Along the east side of the Lot, against the foundation, is an area of dry shade. It has unfortunately been the site of many plant deaths. At first I felt sedum would work, but there is not enough sun. None of the gentle, morning sun the rest of the east side receives reaches the barren patch.

Here are the natives I brought home for dry / sandy / shade:

  • Wild Columbine – Aquilegia canadensis
  • Foxglove beardtongue – Penstemon digitalis
  • Hairy beardtongue – Penstemon hirsutus
  • Shortbeak Sedge – Carex brevior

Native Plants for Wet Shade

In the back, northwest corner of the Lot is a low area where a lot of rainwater will collect. The rain barrels currently are there along with a fern and a coral bell. The area gets a brief hit of afternoon sun.

Here are the natives I brought home for wet (seasonally flooded) / shade:

  • Cardinal Flower – Lobelia cardinalis
  • Great Blue Lobelia – Lobelia siphilitica (part sun)

Native Plants for Wet Sun

On the west side of the Lot where the privacy fence divides the front and back of the property, there is a downspout. The rain water is funneled out into this area causing it to often be soggy. The area also receives some toasty, afternoon sun.

Here are the natives I brought home for wet (seasonally flooded) / sun:

  • Cup Plant – Silphium perfoliatum
  • Monkey Flower – Mimulus ringens

Native Plants for Dry, Sandy Sun

Here is the only native I brought home for dry / sand / sun*:

  • Wild Lupine – Lupinus perennis

* To be absolutely honest about the lupine, I bought it because I was curious about the native lupine versus the nursery varieties I had grown in the past. It is also the host plant for the Karner Blue butterfly.

All the native plants I purchased will be living in the garage a few weeks longer. Grown from seed and still little, the advice at the plant sale was to wait until our cooler than normal Spring warms a bit more. I look forward to watching them grow throughout the season.