Gardening from the couch: "Founding Gardeners"
In her new book, "Founding Gardeners," Audrea Wulf gives us a fresh perspective on the founding fathers -- men as passionate about their gardening as they were about liberty.
She writes that while British ships were gathering off New York, George Washington was worried about his gardens at Mount Vernon and was writing instructions to his manager.
She also describes how a trip to botanist John Bartram's gardens helped the delegates to the Constitutional Congress break their deadlock.
She tells us that during his years at Monticello, Thomas Jefferson tried 170 different fruits and 330 different herbs and vegetables.
At Mount Vernon, Washington grew grapes, apples, peaches, cherries and plums.
But beyond a list of crops, Wulf's book is a fascinating and quite different look at "the land" the revolutionaries were defending.
As a bonus, the book has a lovely collection of portraits, line drawings and botanical prints.
Readers: I have a copy of Founding Gardeners I would be delighted to send to the 5th person posting a comment here on Garden Variety.
Comments
I am excited to learn about this book, for so many reasons.
As a gardener and recent school garden coordinator in Shady Side, MD (and past coordinator of the Kids Growing Food school garden program at Cornell) this book lends itself to so many garden lessons with children.
And, what a great book to help plan and inform travels to Founding Father homes and sites.
Thank you for telling us about this in your column.
Sincerely,
Margaret (aka Ms. Marigold in the school garden)
Posted by: Margaret A. Barker | April 3, 2011 9:39 AM
This sounds like a great book, Susan. It;s a good reminder of the agricultural roots of this nation.
Posted by: Dahlink | April 3, 2011 10:17 AM
this appears to be a fabulous book,which i am anxious to read. clearly these insightful men were way ahead of their time leaving a legacey of leadership as well as beautiful homes and gardens still treasured to this day. lessons to behold.
Posted by: debra cunningham | April 8, 2011 10:59 AM
We just planted some fruit trees and as I was googling I happened on your column, it's great! And it's so understandable compared to some other stuff other, thank you!
Posted by: Lena | April 13, 2011 2:20 PM
Heard about this book before but this was a good reminder to get it!
Posted by: Pat | April 13, 2011 2:20 PM