Jefferson's Pride and Joy

In my previous blog “Jefferson’s Monticello,” I discussed the importance of nature and gardens to Thomas Jefferson, as seen in the amount of time he spent during his presidency on his home at Monticello.  His beautiful home was an eight room villa, turned into a twenty-one roomed mansion under his careful eye. Even more magnificent than his home, however, were the grounds upon which it was built.

Contrary to popular thought, Jefferson’s grounds were not always well kept.  Jefferson liked to keep the natural elements of the Blue Ridge Mountains alive on his land. Rivers, forests, and natural pathways were all visible at his home.  He prided himself on leaving trees to grow and decay on their own as “majestic” signs America. Jefferson careful oversaw and controlled the landscape that lead up to his home, with the entrance containing much of the untouched natural beauty of the land. By the time you arrived at the home, you had passed prudently cared for ornamental gardens, fields, forests and groves.  Jefferson put careful thought into the order that these elements were viewed, as he spaced the four roundabouts that led to his home, and hid much of the manicured fields and farmlands out of sight through the woods. Many of these lands were filled with plantings Jefferson had collected throughout his many travels, and his time as President.

During his presidency, Jefferson completed the Louisiana Purchase, helping the United States double its land size. For Jefferson, the bold move to purchase this land was an easy one. He saw the country’s future as one strongly rooted in agriculture, a passion he felt everyone should share.  Shortly after his purchase he hired people to explore the land. For Jefferson, there were endless possibilities in nature, and he was incredibly curious to see what else was out there. He had his surveyors document and collect species of flora and fauna as they came across them in the wild. Many of the seeds they collected he then planted in his gardens at Monticello. Examples of these plantings are gooseberries currants, which Lewis and Clark found in Missouri. Jefferson also grew plant species from all over the existing colonies and the world in experimental gardens, taking careful notes as to what happened throughout the life of the plant, helping to determine the best conditions for its growth. As an example of the diversity of his gardens, over the years Jefferson grew 125 species of fruit trees alone.

Gooseberries

Red Currants

Architecture was also important to Jefferson. He spent much of his time focusing on the buildings that would occupy the space on his extensive land. He wanted these buildings to have specific shapes and locations, helping them blend into the natural scene around them. For example, the garden pavilion that Jefferson had built was located directly in the center of his vegetable terrace, providing a view of all of surrounding gardens and mountains in the distance. The architecture of his gardens was also a crucial point to Jefferson, as he decided the exact shape and layout of each of the flower beds, gardens, and groves on his land.

In a day and age where nature is not at the forefront of everyone’s minds, it’s intriguing to see how much it meant to a man who once held so much power and importance to this country. When the first visitors arrived at Monticello, many did not appreciate the painstaking care with which Jefferson planned out the grounds, leaving certain areas untouched to allow nature to take its course, but, in time, people grew to love the intricacies of his home and the grounds upon which it was built. Jefferson hoped to create a lasting impression of beauty through the architecture and horticulture of his home, a goal which I believe has been fulfilled. His home is still a tourist attraction today, drawing in thousands of visitors every year.