Saturdays in the Garden Calendar
May 3 , 2008
Spring Bird Walk
Learn the basics of bird identification and explore a variety of habitats in this three-hour interpretive walk during the spring migratory season. Peggy Cornett will lead this early morning trek from Tufton Farm to the Rivanna River. This is a rigorous hike. Please wear long pants (ticks, poison ivy, etc.) and sturdy, waterproof shoes (we will be fording a swiftly flowing stream), bring binoculars, and be there at 6:30 a.m. sharp. Meets at Tufton Farm, 6:30 a.m. Reservations required. $10
May 10 , 2008
Parkway Children's Nature Walk
Twigs, leaves, animal tracks; big trees and little flowers; the five senses: all parents want their kids to open up to the wonders of the natural world. Parkway Manager, Jason Stevens, an experienced educator with a wide-eyed sensitivity to the curious details of nature, will lead this fun and engaging hike along Saunders-Monticello trail. Reservations required. Meets at the Parkway Lower Trailhead, 9:30 a.m. $10.
May 17 , 2008
Montalto Trek
The Thomas Jefferson Foundation recently purchased what locals called "Brown’s Mountain," but what Jefferson named Montalto, or "high mountain." Join Peter Hatch for a strenuous, 1,000-foot-vertical hike, the long way up (but the short way down). We’ll walk through mature hardwood to learn forest dynamics, then break into cleared pastureland with unobstructed views of Albemarle County, the Blue Ridge mountains, and, of course, Monticello. Only from Montalto can one understand the geographic scope of Jefferson’s property and farms. A 2.5-hour trek only for the fittest. Reservations required. Meets at the Thomas Jefferson Parkway Lower Trailhead, 9:30 a.m. $10.
May 24 , 2008
Center for Historic Plants Open House Lectures
Michael Twitty, will deliver the Lynn Richmond Memorial Lecture honoring Monticello’s former Vegetable Gardener: “Growing Home, The African Virginian Presence in Historic Gardens and Food.” Mr. Twitty will celebrate the historical traditions that bring together African American gardens and good food, two topics that engaged the passions of Lynn Richmond. At 10:30 our friend Douglas Seidel will discuss “The Legacy of Léonie Bell” on the 10th anniversary of the installation of the Léonie Bell Rose Garden at CHP’s Tufton Farm. Ms. Bell was one of the great rosarians of the 20th century. Meets at the Jefferson Libary. Registration begins at 8:45 a.m. (but pre-registration is encouraged); the program lasts from 9:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. Boxed lunches are available by request for those attending the Open House at CHP by calling (434) 984-9822. $10
May 24 , 2008
Center for Historic Plants Open House
The 16th annual open house at Tufton Farm will feature the rose, iris, and Dianthus collections in full bloom, and informal tours of the CHP nursery. Doug Seidel and CHP's assistant nursery manager, Dennis Whetzel, will conduct an informal workshop on propagation and identification of old and found roses. The public is encouraged to bring their mystery roses for the experts to identify. Refreshments will be served, gift plants distributed, and roses, iris, and selected perennials will be offered for sale to our special guests from the horticultural community. Call (434) 984-9816 for further information. Noon to 4 p.m. Free.
May 31 , 2008
Painting and Sketching in the Garden
Join Debbie Donley, Monticello’s Flower Gardener and a professional artist, for this painting workshop in the flower and vegetable gardens of Monticello. She will demonstrate both simple line drawing with pen and ink and basic water color techniques. Participants will be encouraged to examine and portray the botanical details of the flowers and vegetables. All materials will be provided, but you are welcome to bring your own for this morning-long workshop. Meets at the Monticello Garden Shop's temporary location, 9:30 a.m. Reservations required. $10
Jun. 7, 2008
Edible Plants in the Ornamental Garden
Few vegetable gardeners tend their gardens solely for the edible harvests; some like the process of gardening itself while others reap the functional beauty of their efforts. So many edible plants have striking ornamental qualities – whether a happy growth habit, contrasting foliage, curious texture, or colorful flowers. Maggie Stemann Thompson will discuss and illustrate her favorite edible plants that can contribute visual vitality to the flower garden. A walk through the Monticello Kitchen Garden will reveal some of these beauties on site. Reservations required. Meets at Monticello Garden Shop's temporary location, 9:30 a.m.; 2.5 hours. $10.
Jun. 15, 2008
Historic Landscape Institute Begins
This two-week course (June 15 - 27) will use the gardens and landscapes of Monticello and the University of Virginia as outdoor classrooms for the study of the theory and practice of historic landscape preservation. Lectures, workshops, field trips, and practical working experiences with Monticello and UVA gardeners will provide an intensive introduction to the fields of landscape history, garden restoration, and historical horticulture. Call 434-984-9836 for more information.
Jun. 21, 2008
Pruning Practices for Woody Ornamentals
Few horticultural practices are as misunderstood as pruning, particularly for shrubs. One needs to know, first of all, how to make a proper pruning cut, but also how to enhance the natural growth habit of the plant itself. Join CHP Nursery Manager, Marc McVicker, in the Tufton Farm gardens for this 2.5-hour workshop to learn how to stop butchering your bushes. Reservations required. At Tufton Farm, 9:30 a.m. $10.
Jun. 28, 2008
History of the Thomas Jefferson Parkway Hike
The development of the Thomas Jefferson Parkway – the creation of Kemper Park, Saunders-Monticello Trail, Saunders Bridge – is an intriguing story full of heroes and drama, creative design and clever construction. Join Peter Hatch for a two-hour hike that will focus on the evolution of the project, the historical precedents for the design, and the panorama of practical, political, and human issues that have defined its history. Reservations required. Meets at the Monticello Garden Shop's temporary location, 9:30 a.m. $10.
Jul. 12, 2008
Natural History of Trees
Trees perhaps occupied first place in Thomas Jefferson's hierarchy of favorite garden plants. This two-hour walking tour explores the natural history of Monticello's exotic and native trees. Learn to identify about fifty species through an understanding of their ornamental, cultural, and historical character. Peter Hatch will lead this relaxed morning ramble through a typical Central Virginia hardwood forest. Reservations required. Meets at the Monticello Garden Shop's temporary location, 9:30 a.m. $10
Jul. 19, 2008
Woody Plant Propagation
Propagating trees and shrubs from seeds or cuttings is one of the most gratifying of the horticultural arts. CHP Nursery Manager Marc McVicker will lead this 2.5-hour workshop at the Center for Historic Plants’ propagating facilities at Tufton Farm. He'll discuss the principles of seed sowing&151;timing, dormancy, scarification, stratification, soil mediums&151;and also review the fundamentals of asexual propagation. Bring your pruning shears. Reservations required. Meets at CHP's Tufton Farm nursery, 9:30 a.m. $10
Aug. 2, 2008
Tomato Tasting
Heirloom tomatoes are now at the height of fashion, and one can only marvel at the genetic diversity found in everyone's favorite homegrown vegetable. Tomatoes are finally being esteemed, first and foremost, for their flavor, and this participatory workshop will examine and rate a sample of varieties now available to gardeners. Maggie Thompson will host this two-hour workshop, and registrants are encouraged to bring in their own favorite garden varieties. Reservations required. Meets at the Monticello Garden Shop's temporary location, 9:30 a.m. $10.
- See the results of the 2007 Tomato Tasting.
Aug. 9, 2008
Wine-making Workshop
Join the incomparable Gabriele Rausse, the Father of the Virginia wine industry, for this fun two-hour workshop on wine production. "No nation is drunken when wine is cheap," said Thomas Jefferson, who apparently failed to make a Monticello-grown vintage despite years of experimental vine plantings. Learn how to make your own -- from harvest through fermentation to bottling -- in this participatory workshop in Monticello's restored vineyards. Reservations required. Meets at the Monticello Garden Shop's temporary location, 9:30 a.m. $10
Aug. 16, 2008
Summer Fruit Tasting
Come and enjoy the harvests of summer, what Thomas Jefferson referred to as "precious refreshment." On site, in the Monticello Fruit Garden, Tom Burford, Peter Hatch, Gabriele Rausse, and Fruit Gardener Kerry Gilmer will entertain participants with the fruits of summer -- early apples, peaches, figs, grapes, nectarines, apple cider, blackberries, pears, and others. Short talks on the history of fruit growing in Virginia will vary the menu in this informal two-hour feast in Jefferson's Fruitery. Reservations required. Meets at the Monticello Garden Shop's temporary location, 9:30 a.m. $10.
Aug. 23, 2008
Creating an Herbal Potpourri
Dennis Whetzel will demonstrate an 18th-century recipe for making potpourri from old garden roses, fragrant heirloom flowers and herbs, and exotic spices. This 2 ½-hour workshop will include a discussion on the use of essential oils and fixatives for long-lasting fragrance. Reservations required. Meets at CHP's Tufton Farm Nursery, 9:30 a.m. $10.
Sep. 5, 2008
Historic Plants Symposium
The Center for Historic Plants’ 6th biennial Historic Plants Symposium will feature prominent early American gardeners and the plants they grew: what the gardener said about the plants and what the plants tell us about the gardener. Speakers include the irreverent Felder Rushing, author of Passalong Plants; Andrew Smith, food historian and author of The Tomato in America; cider-maker and heirloom fruit lover Ben Watson; herb authority, Dr. Arthur Tucker; Colonial Williamsburg’s Garden Historian, Wesley Greene; and Monticello’s Peter Hatch. Meets at the Jefferson Library. Contact Peggy Cornett, or call 434-984-9816 for further information.
Sep. 6, 2008
Heritage Harvest Festival
Co-sponsored with Southern Exposure Seed Exchange, the 2nd annual Heritage Harvest Festival is a family-oriented, educational event designed to promote healthy gardening practices and preserve heirloom plants. The Festival will highlight the efforts of non-profit organizations supporting sustainable agriculture as well as of for-profit groups promoting organics and “slow food” principles; and will provide an array of food vendors and free samples. The Festival will also include informative workshops and lectures by renowned authorities like Michael McConkey, Tom Burford, and herbalist, Cyrus Hyde. Workshops in cider making, seed saving, and the ever-popular melon, tomato, and apple tastings will make for a memorable afternoon at Tufton. Admission and almost all events are free. For more information, visit: www.HeritageHarvestFestival.com.
10:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.; held at Monticello's Tufton Farm. Get directions »
Sep. 13, 2008
“Precious Refreshment”; Virginia Cider Making
It was a significant event when Americans began eating their fruit rather than drinking it. Fruit Gardener Kerry Gilmer and Tom Burford will first review our Virginia cider-making tradition, and then demonstrate the process itself in Monticello’s South Orchard. Although you will need to help turn the crank, the cider made from the Hughes’ Crab, described as "ambrosia" by one apple enthusiast, will be your just reward. Reservations required. Meets at Tufton Farm, 9:30 a.m. $10
Sep. 20, 2008
Seed Saving Workshop
The historic tradition of seed saving in America provides a meaningful model for modern gardeners eager to get the most from their gardens. Many special (and more common) garden plants are unavailable from commercial sources and need to be preserved from year to year. Learn the dynamics of seed production – pollination, timing, seed identification, cleaning, and storing – then visit the gardens for a hands-on collecting demonstration.Monticello’s Flower Gardener, Debbie Donley will lead this 2.5-hour workshop. Reservations required. Meets at the Monticello Garden Shop's temporary location, 9:30 a.m. $10
Sep. 27, 2008
Thomas Jefferson and Natural History Walk
Thomas Jefferson's passion for gardening arose from his truly wide-eyed curiosity about natural history and the “tranquil pursuits” of science. Peggy Cornett will lead this two-hour trek through the forests of Monticello mountain. Participants will examine autumn wildflowers, seedpods and nuts, trees, mammals, birds, the skies, fungi, insects, and geology with the historical perspective of the sage of Monticello ever in mind. Please wear sturdy shoes. Reservations required. Meets at the Monticello Garden Shop's temporary location, 9:30 a.m. $10
Oct. 4, 2008
Tufton Fern Walk
Ferns will be the excuse for this ramble along Henderson Creek in the forests of Tufton Farm. Peggy Cornett will lead this two-hour cross-country walk through a pristine, relatively undisturbed, and isolated natural woodland, pointing out the native plants as they go. There is no trail on substantial sections of this two-mile hike, so be prepared for briar scratches, spider webs, and uneven terrain. Reservations required. Meets at the Tufton Farm, 9:30 a.m. $10
Oct. 18, 2008
Apple Tasting
This annual event, truly a unique opportunity to explore the essence of the apple, has been among our most popular programs. Supermarkets today provide only a limited sample of the thousands of apple varieties once available to nineteenth-century fruit lovers. Tom Burford, Professor Apple, will provide numerous apple varieties, each introduced with a discussion of their history and culture. Participants will taste, savor, and, most importantly, rate each apple in this 2.5-hour program. Reservations required. Meets at 9:30 a.m. at the Tufton Farm nursery. $10
See the results of the 2007 Apple Tasting.
Nov. 1, 2008
Cooking Unusual Vegetables
Visitors to Monticello’s Kitchen Garden are unfailingly curious about how to prepare many of the odd and rare vegetables found there. Gabriele Rausse, a chef revered by his colleagues and friends for his ability to simply transform ordinary and unusual garden produce into delicious meals, will introduce participants to surprising curiosities like sea kale, cardoon, and caracalla bean flowers, as well as underappreciated gourmet vegetables such as endive, Florence fennel, fava beans, and crowder peas. Reservations required. Meets at the Monticello Garden Shop's temporary location, 9:30 a.m. $10. Length: 2.5 hours.
Nov. 15, 2008
Vinegar-making Workshop
Vinegar was an integral ingredient in various Jefferson-family recipes, and there’s more to vinegar, translated literally as "sour wine," than salad dressing. Most people are unaware of the rich ancient and European tradition of using vinegar in cooking, as a food preservative, and even as a wholesome beverage. As well, making vinegar at home is quite simple. Join winemaker and master chef Gabriele Rausse in reviewing the basic principles of vinegar-making, and then learn how to use it in preparing vegetables and meat and in concocting delicious aromatized dressings. Reservations required. Meets at Monticello Garden Shop's temporary location, 9:30 a.m. $10. Length: 2 hours.
Dec. 4, 2008
Wreath Workshops
These ever-popular workshops, now in their twenty-first year, produce a gratifying and tangible end-product: a beautiful Christmas wreath. Janet Miller, Lou Hatch, and Maggie Stemann Thompson will lead you through the process of making your own. All materials (straw wreath forms, pins, wire, etc.) will be provided, including a cornucopia of natural materials. This three-hour workshop will stretch your imagination and transform any novice into a stylish holiday artist. $45 covers the workshop and all materials. Wreath Workshop reservations can be made beginning on November 11 by calling 434-984-9822 or by purchasing tickets online. Bring your hand pruners. All workshops will be held at the new Smith Education Center.
Dec. 5, 2008
Wreath Workshops
These ever-popular workshops, now in their twenty-first year, produce a gratifying and tangible end-product: a beautiful Christmas wreath. Janet Miller, Lou Hatch, and Maggie Stemann Thompson will lead you through the process of making your own. All materials (straw wreath forms, pins, wire, etc.) will be provided, including a cornucopia of natural materials. This three-hour workshop will stretch your imagination and transform any novice into a stylish holiday artist. $45 covers the workshop and all materials. Wreath Workshop reservations can be made beginning on November 11 by calling 434-984-9822 or by purchasing tickets online. Bring your hand pruners. All workshops will be held at the new Smith Education Center.
Dec. 6, 2008
Wreath Workshops
These ever-popular workshops, now in their twenty-first year, produce a gratifying and tangible end-product: a beautiful Christmas wreath. Janet Miller, Lou Hatch, and Maggie Stemann Thompson will lead you through the process of making your own. All materials (straw wreath forms, pins, wire, etc.) will be provided, including a cornucopia of natural materials. This three-hour workshop will stretch your imagination and transform any novice into a stylish holiday artist. $45 covers the workshop and all materials. Wreath Workshop reservations can be made beginning on November 11 by calling 434-984-9822 or by purchasing tickets online. Bring your hand pruners. All workshops will be held at the new Smith Education Center.
Dec. 7, 2008
Wreath Workshops
These ever-popular workshops, now in their twenty-first year, produce a gratifying and tangible end-product: a beautiful Christmas wreath. Janet Miller, Lou Hatch, and Maggie Stemann Thompson will lead you through the process of making your own. All materials (straw wreath forms, pins, wire, etc.) will be provided, including a cornucopia of natural materials. This three-hour workshop will stretch your imagination and transform any novice into a stylish holiday artist. $45 covers the workshop and all materials. Wreath Workshop reservations can be made beginning on November 11 by calling 434-984-9822 or by purchasing tickets online. Bring your hand pruners. All workshops will be held at the new Smith Education Center.
Dec. 10, 2008
Wreath Workshops
These ever-popular workshops, now in their twenty-first year, produce a gratifying and tangible end-product: a beautiful Christmas wreath. Janet Miller, Lou Hatch, and Maggie Stemann Thompson will lead you through the process of making your own. All materials (straw wreath forms, pins, wire, etc.) will be provided, including a cornucopia of natural materials. This three-hour workshop will stretch your imagination and transform any novice into a stylish holiday artist. $45 covers the workshop and all materials. Wreath Workshop reservations can be made beginning on November 11 by calling 434-984-9822 or by purchasing tickets online. Bring your hand pruners. All workshops will be held at the new Smith Education Center.
Dec. 12, 2008
Wreath Workshops
These ever-popular workshops, now in their twenty-first year, produce a gratifying and tangible end-product: a beautiful Christmas wreath. Janet Miller, Lou Hatch, and Maggie Stemann Thompson will lead you through the process of making your own. All materials (straw wreath forms, pins, wire, etc.) will be provided, including a cornucopia of natural materials. This three-hour workshop will stretch your imagination and transform any novice into a stylish holiday artist. $45 covers the workshop and all materials. Wreath Workshop reservations can be made beginning on November 11 by calling 434-984-9822 or by purchasing tickets online. Bring your hand pruners. All workshops will be held at the new Smith Education Center.
Dec. 13, 2008
Wreath Workshops
These ever-popular workshops, now in their twenty-first year, produce a gratifying and tangible end-product: a beautiful Christmas wreath. Janet Miller, Lou Hatch, and Maggie Stemann Thompson will lead you through the process of making your own. All materials (straw wreath forms, pins, wire, etc.) will be provided, including a cornucopia of natural materials. This three-hour workshop will stretch your imagination and transform any novice into a stylish holiday artist. $45 covers the workshop and all materials. Wreath Workshop reservations can be made beginning on November 11 by calling 434-984-9822 or by purchasing tickets online. Bring your hand pruners. All workshops will be held at the new Smith Education Center.
Saturdays in the Garden convene at:
- the Garden Shop of the Center for Historic Plants, now in temporary headquarters next to the Ticket Office in the Monticello parking lot;
- or at the theater of the Monticello Visitors Center, on Rt. 20 just south of I-64;
- or at Tufton Farm: go 1.3 miles east of Monticello on the Thomas Jefferson Parkway (Rt. 53), take a left before Brix Market (also has "Simeon" painted on it) at a sharp right curve and proceed .6 mile on Milton Rd (Rt. 732) to Tufton entrance. Take a left and follow driveway to CHP headquarters in grey barn.
- or at the Jefferson Library, at Kenwood, .2 mile east of Monticello's entrance on Rt. 53 (Thomas Jefferson Parkway);
- or at Thomas Jefferson
Parkway Trailhead, on Rt. 53, .2
mile east of the junction with Rt. 20.
For More Information: (434) 984-9822