Thomas Jefferson was a passionate plantsman—an epicure. For decades, the 1,000-foot-long, 80-foot-wide terraced vegetable garden at Monticello was unattended and covered by layers of dirt. It was known only through writings until archaeologists began its excavation in the late 1970s. Peter Hatch, whose official title until he retired in June was director of gardens and grounds at Monticello, transformed it into a thriving approximation of Jefferson’s own experimental garden on his plantation estate in Charlottesville, Virginia.
LEFT: Monticello’s garden now features tansy, ‘Green Globe’ artichoke, scarlet runner beans (on the poles), tree onions, and tomatoes (on the trellis).
