"This book examines the flowers grown at Thomas Jeffersons Monticello, including an annotated list of the flowers documented by Jefferson in the gardens at Shadwell, Monticello, and Poplar Forest"-- Provided by publisher."The fascinating and innovative horticultural world of the Sage of Monticello. Contemplating the conclusion of his public life in 1809, Thomas Jefferson observed, I retire to my family, my books and farms. Nature intended me for the tranquil pursuits of science, by rendering them my supreme delight. Drawing on a deep understanding of Jefferson as a scientific gentleman farmer, Monticellos official curator of plants offers a definitive account of the planning and preservation of the paths, borders, and flowerbeds of Jeffersons little mountain. This richly illustrated book examines Jeffersons gardening friendships in the United States and abroad, his many botanical and horticultural influences, and the role of his family relationships - as well as of enslaved individuals such as Wormley Hughes and Burwell Colbert - in his gardening pursuits. Informed by Monticellos ongoing research and the preservation and educational efforts of the Center for Historic Plants, the book concludes with a comprehensive annotated list of the flowers documented by Jefferson in the gardens at Shadwell, Monticello, and Poplar Forest, affording visitors, gardeners, and scholars alike a handy reference that is eye-catching, substantive, and comprehensive"-- Provided by publisher.