Thomas Jefferson Encyclopedia

Garden Book

Thomas Jefferson's Garden Book is a rich, annotated collection of his records, notations, and letters on the gardens and gardening for nearly 60 years.

Jefferson's earliest record from what became his Garden Book lists the blooming dates of various plants at his birthplace, Shadwell, in 1766.

Page 1 of what became Jefferson's Garden Book,

The Garden Book is collection of recordings and notations Jefferson kept about the gardening activities at Monticello for nearly 60 years.

A digital facsimile, Thomas Jefferson Garden Book 1766-1824, is available online at the Thomas Jefferson Papers Collection at the Massachusetts Historical Society. An annotated print edition that also contains relevant letters by Jefferson and his friends and family is available in the online Monticello Shop.

Gallery of pages from Thomas Jefferson's Garden Book

Thomas Jefferson's Garden Book Turns 250 years old

A live Q&A with Bill Barker, first-person interpreter of Thomas Jefferson, and Peggy Cornett, Monticello’s Curator of Plants.

Gardening with Monticello