Thomas Jefferson's Garden Book [Hardcover]

Edwin Morris Betts (Editor), Peter J. Hatch (Introduction)

Book Description

Series: Distributed by Unc Press for the Thomas Jefferson Foundation | Publication Date: December 2, 2001

Thomas Jefferson's Garden Book is a compilation of Jefferson's own horticultural diary, along with many of his letters, drawings, and memoranda relating to his beloved gardens at Monticello and Poplar Forest. Compiled and annotated by the late Edwin Morris Betts, this classic volume captures the planning and planting, successes and failures of Jefferson's ambitious and experimental gardens.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Edwin Morris Betts (1892-1958) was professor of biology at the University of Virginia for thirty-one years. He first became interested in Jefferson's gardening and farming pursuits while studying the trees Jefferson imported from abroad for planting on the grounds of the University. His scholarly legacy also includes his editing of Thomas Jefferson's Farm Book.

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 18 and up
  
• Hardcover: 766 pages
• Publisher: The University of North Carolina Press; annotated edition edition (December 2, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1882886119
• ISBN-13: 978-1882886111
• Product Dimensions: 9.5 x 6.5 x 2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 3.1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #542,151 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Thomas Jefferson was the third President of the United States (1801-1809), the principal author of the Declaration of Independence (1776), and one of the most influential Founding Fathers for his promotion of the ideals of republicanism in the United States. He envisioned America as the force behind a great "Empire of Liberty" that would promote republicanism and counter the imperialism of the British Empire.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

21 of 21 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Thomas Jefferson's Garden Book 1766-1824, December 26, 2002

By 

Joe Zika "Khemprof" (Cincinnati, Ohio) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: Thomas Jefferson's Garden Book (Hardcover)

Thomas Jefferson's Garden Book (1766-1824) annotated by Edwin Morris Betts is a book for the historical gardener and those who like to read of and about Jefferson's beautiful gardens of Monticello and Poplar Forest. This book contains relevant extracts from Jefferson's other writings making for a very interesting read.

This "Garden Book contains the most varied entries of all of Jefferson's memorandum books. The book that began as a diary of the garden became a written repository for numerous interests of Jefferson. Jefferson's entries range from contracts with overseers, plans for building roads and fish ponds, and observations on the greatest flood in Albemarle, to comments on Mrs. Wyethe's wine and figures on the number of strawberries in a pint measure.

This book contains a lot of Jeffersonian minutiae
and also shows Jefferson's love for nature and a very intensely observant eye as it caught almost every passing detail.
The tone of the narrative changes as to the subject written about, but nevertheless, you can read the emotions and the intensity.

Jefferson began the "Garden Book" in 1766 and continued it until the autum of 1824, two years before his death. The lapses in it were due to the time Jefferson had spent away from Monticello. Even in the years in which he spent much of his time at Monticello, the entries are often irregular. Planting activities, successes and failure are all noted within these pages. That introducing new plants into cultivation was a passion with Jefferson, he note them throughout the "Garden Book."

5.0 out of 5 stars was a gift, March 2, 2011

By 

Leimonade "TD" (Texas) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Thomas Jefferson's Garden Book (Hardcover)

He really enjoyed the book! He commented/discussed it with several other people. It is written much like a diary or journal, so I thought it might be a bit tedious to read, but he liked it and that's what counts :)