The Botanical Life

The Merriam-Webster dictionary defines Botany as a branch of biology dealing with plant life. In “Founding Gardeners”, Andrea Wulf quotes Thomas Jefferson, pointing out that Botany bettered all aspects of life—culinary, medical, economic, and aesthetic. Thinking about this quote made me realize that Botany is so much more than simply “plant life”, it has everything to do with human life. Even as Jefferson is in the midst of the development of political parties, he shows that all aspects of human life are affected by plant life.

Beginning with the culinary aspect, which is obvious. Everything we eat derives from plants in some way; whether what we are eating is a plant, is made from plants, or it digests plants itself, there’s no denying that plants are a huge part in the culinary aspects of our lives.

Plants also have a large medicinal purpose. There are numerous natural remedies derived from plant life. And this is even depicted in Wulf's book. When Thomas Jefferson and James Madison returned from their political/botanical venture into the United States, they both told President Washington that their ailments had gone away since their experiences with nature.

Economics are highly affected by plants, especially in the late 1700s. Obviously agriculture is a large aspect of modern economies, but one specific plant could affect an entire nation’s economics during the times of Jefferson and Washington. Thomas Jefferson stresses this while John Adams was planning a National Bank. After Jefferson discovered a Maple Tree in the North, he spread the word and stressed that they could finally be free of depending on Britain for sugar. This was a huge influence on early America’s economics.

Lastly, the aesthetic aspects of plant life are also obvious. Andrea Wulf describes Mt. Vernon and Monticello in her book, but no description can do it justice. There are famous artists devoted entirely to depicting the beauty of landscapes. Beauty in the world would be lacking almost completely without plant life.

Thomas Jefferson's passion for plants and an early Republican view both came from agricultural influence, and Wulf includes this passion in  Chapter Four of "Founding Gardeners".