Thomas Jefferson's Monticello

A couple weeks ago, I visited  the home of Thomas Jefferson, our 3rd president and one of my favorite gardeners! This was quite a dream come true for me! 

"I have often thought that if heaven had given me choice of my position and calling, it should have been on a rich spot of earth, well watered, and near a good market for the productions of the garden. No occupation is so delightful to me as the culture of the earth, and no culture comparable to that of the garden. Such a variety of subjects, some one always coming to perfection, the failure of one thing repaired by the success of another, and instead of one harvest a continued one through the year."
Jefferson to Charles W. Peale, August 20, 1811

The bean arbor...this is what I was hoping my bean arbor would look like by now, but apparently hyacinth beans don't like Maine!

Close-ups of hyacinth beans and flowers...

The vineyard and orchard...

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Fish Pepper

Tomatoes

New sesame plants

Sesame

Peanuts

Castor Bean

Lemon balm

Cotton

Tobacco

Eggplant

Tansy

West India Gherkin

Cockscomb and Globe Amaranth in a couple of the Oval beds...

"I have an extensive flower border, in which I am fond of putting handsome plants, or fragrant."

 Jefferson to Bernard McMahon, April 8, 1811

Do these look familiar? In his garden book, Jefferson mentions sowing "Double balsam" on April 2, 1767. It is also included in a list of plants sent by Jefferson from Paris about 1786 to Francis Eppes. 

"Heliotrope. To be sowed in the spring. A delicious flower, but I suspect it must be planted in boxes and kept in the house in the winter. The smell rewards the care."”
— Thomas Jefferson

"Mirablis just opened. very clever."
(July 18, 1767)
It was almost 100 degrees when we were there, so they weren't open, obviously!

Some more pictures...I just don't have time to write about everything!