From the 1,000-foot terraced vegetable garden—where enslaved gardeners cultivated some 89 species and more than 330 varieties of vegetables—to seed experimentation in the greenhouse, Monticello’s gardens were extensive during Thomas Jefferson’s lifetime. Thanks to our hardworking Gardens & Grounds staff, these gardens continue to thrive today.
Monticello’s Curator of Plants, Peggy Cornett, and Manager and Curator of Historic Gardens, Jason Young, discuss how we use our gardens to educate visitors, save historic seeds, and share the history of the enslaved men, women, and children who made Jefferson’s passion for botany and agriculture a reality.