A Rich Spot of Earth

It's August at Monticello. We've been grateful for a bit more rain than last month, but the heat continues to challenge us in the garden. On the bright side, August means it's peach-picking time. Or, as Jefferson once put it, "We abound in the luxury of the peach." In this episode of “A Rich Spot of Earth”, we talk about Jefferson's quest to grow almost 40 different peach varieties. We also discuss biennial flowers and some of the interesting herbs cultivated at Monticello. Featuring Peggy Cornett, Curator of Plants; Michael Tricomi, Manager and Curator of Historic Gardens; Debbie Donley, Flower Gardener; and Robert Dowell, Senior Nursery Associate at the Thomas Jefferson Center Historic Plants.

It's July at Monticello, and it's been exceptionally hot and dry this year. We've got some gorgeous flowers in bloom—marigolds, blackberry lilies, globe amaranth, and hibiscus—but keeping things watered is a never-ending task. In this episode of “A Rich Spot of Earth”, we look at how periods of hot, dry weather have affected Monticello, both in Jefferson's in time and at times in recent years. We also talk about beneficial insects and plants, and about Jefferson's dream of cultivating olive trees in Virginia. Featuring Peggy Cornett, Curator of Plants; Michael Tricomi, Manager and Curator of Historic Gardens; Debbie Donley, Flower Gardener; and Robert Dowell, Senior Nursery Associate at the Thomas Jefferson Center Historic Plants.

This month we focus on a classic: the garden rose. We'll also talk tiny strawberries and native trees that are flowering right now. Featuring Peggy Cornett, Curator of Plants; Michael Tricomi, Manager and Curator of Historic Gardens; Debbie Donley, Flower Gardener; and Robert Dowell, Senior Nursery Associate at the Thomas Jefferson Center Historic Plants.

According to a gardening manual from Jefferson's time, April is the month to graft fruit trees. So in this episode, we cut into the practice of grafting and explain it's critical to the fruit you eat every day. We also look at Jefferson's favorite nurseries along with the historic and modern nurseries at Monticello, and highlight the upcoming Center for Historic Plants Open Houses in April and May. Oh, there's pomegranates, too. Featuring Peggy Cornett, Curator of Plants; Michael Tricomi, Manager and Curator of Historic Gardens; Debbie Donley, Flower Gardener; and Robert Dowell, Senior Nursery Associate at the Thomas Jefferson Center Historic Plants.

It's March at Monticello and the natural world is starting to wake up. Bloodroot, Lenten rose, hyacinths, peach and pear trees are all in bloom. As Jefferson put it, "Spring" makes "a paradise of our country." It's also Women's History Month and today we're going to talk about two of Jefferson's granddaughters who helped him in the garden. Featuring Peggy Cornett, Curator of Plants; Michael Tricomi, Manager and Curator of Historic Gardens; Debbie Donley, Flower Gardener; and Robert Dowell, Senior Nursery Associate at the Thomas Jefferson Center Historic Plants.

This month we focus on the gardens enslaved families tended for themselves to supplement their rations and provide additional income, and discuss how these small gardens figured fairly prominent in the larger plantation economy. We also look at the beneficial practicing of pruning and offer tips for when and how to prune your plants. Featuring Justin Bates, Manager of Special Programs; Michael Tricomi, Manager and Curator of Historic Gardens; Peggy Cornett, Curator of Plants; Debbie Donley, Flower Gardener; and Robert Dowell, Senior Nursery Associate at the Thomas Jefferson Center Historic Plants.

Jefferson sketched ideas for two different freestanding greenhouses with an eye to cultivating plants that might need protection from the cold. Neither was ever built, but he did settle on a modest, glass-enclosed space attached to the main house where he documented growing a couple of plants. Today, greenhouses are critical to the care of Monticello's gardens and the operation of the Thomas Jefferson Center for Historic Plants. Featuring Michael Tricomi, Manager and Curator of Historic Gardens; Peggy Cornett, Curator of Plants; Debbie Donley, Flower Gardener; and Robert Dowell, Senior Nursery Associate at the Thomas Jefferson Center Historic Plants.

Winter not only brings cold weather to Monticello, it offers two special ways to experience the house and surrounding grounds. Our Holiday Evening Tours present rare opportunities to tour the house after dark and beautifully decorated for the holidays. And our annual Wreath Workshops feature decorations from the natural world around Monticello gathered throughout the year. Featuring Michael Tricomi, Manager and Curator of Historic Gardens; Peggy Cornett, Curator of Plants; Debbie Donley, Flower Gardener; and Lou Hatch, Monticello Guide and veteran Wreath Workshop instructor.

You might think November at Monticello would be a quiet time of year in the garden, but far from it. In this episode, we look at planting -- and eating! -- spring-blooming bulbs, planting and harvesting fall and winter vegetables, and prepping beds for winter. Featuring Michael Tricomi, Manager and Curator of Historic Gardens; Peggy Cornett, Curator of Plants; Debbie Donley, Flower Gardener; and Robert Dowell, Senior Nursery Associate at the Thomas Jefferson Center Historic Plants.

It's October at Monticello, and there's color everywhere, from the reds, yellows and golds of the fall leaves to the pinks and purples of our tall asters to the oranges and greens of our fall squash. In this episode of "A Rich Spot of Earth," we talk about some of the most evolutionary complex flowers (asters), a tasty squash that provides more than a gallon of flesh for soups or pudding (the Cushaw), and, of course, the glorious range of colors in our fall foliage. We also have a first report from the fall grape harvest at Jefferson Vineyards, which became part of the Monticello family in early 2023. Featuring Michael Tricomi, Manager and Curator of Historic Gardens; Peggy Cornett, Curator of Plants; Debbie Donley, Flower Gardener; Robert Dowell, Senior Nursery Associate at the Thomas Jefferson Center Historic Plants; and Chris Ritzcovan, Winemaker at Jefferson Vineyards.

It's September at Monticello, and we're still harvesting summer vegetables, like tomatoes and okra. But we're also preparing for fall crops, and soon we'll be seeing shoots of carrots, turnips, beets, radishes, and more in our farm gardens. In this episode of "A Rich Spot of Earth," we talk about some of the favorite (both historic and modern) Monticello vegetables and discuss the process of seed saving, which in Jefferson's day was critical to preserving crops from year to year. Featuring Michael Tricomi, Manager and Curator of Historic Gardens; Peggy Cornett, Curator of Plants; Debbie Donley, Flower Gardener; and, and Anna Lobianco-Sims, Farm Assistant at Tufton Farm.

Jefferson wrote that in the hot Virginia summers, "shade is our Elysium." In this episode of "A Rich Spot of Earth," we look at how Jefferson prized shade, how he used it at Monticello, and how you can use it your own gardens. We also talk about two of our late summer harvests -- tomatoes and honey -- and how we cultivate and use them at the Monticello today. Featuring Michael Tricomi, Interim Manager and Curator of Historic Gardens; Peggy Cornett, Curator of Plants; Debbie Donley, Flower Gardener; Robert Dowell, Senior Nursery Associate at the Center; and, and Anna Lobianco-Sims, Farm Assistant at Tufton Farm.

In this episode of "A Rich Spot of Earth" we talk about water: how water was collected and used at Monticello and how to properly water your own plants. We also discuss some of the plants sent back to Jefferson from the Lewis and Clark Expedition, and spend a few minutes on the American Chestnut, the severely endangered native tree that is making a comeback thanks to the efforts of the American Chestnut Foundation (www.acf.org). Featuring Michael Tricomi, Interim Manager and Curator of Historic Gardens; Peggy Cornett, Curator of Plants; Debbie Donley, Flower Gardener; and, Robert Dowell, Senior Nursery Associate at the Center.

In this episode of "A Rich Spot of Earth" we talk about vining plants, self-sowing annuals, and trees that flower in the summer. We also tackle a less pleasant topic: weeds and what to do about them. Featuring Michael Tricomi, Interim Manager and Curator of Historic Gardens; Peggy Cornett, Curator of Plants; Debbie Donley, Flower Gardener; and, Robert Dowell, Senior Nursery Associate at the Center.

The arrival of May this year at Monticello has brought mild weather and decent rain -- perfect conditions for growing plants. In this episode of A Rich Spot of Earth, we look at peonies and Jefferson's unusual “fruits, roots, and leaves” 1812 planting plan before ranging into discussions about asparagus, sea kale, tomatoes, beetles, and blanching pots. Finally, we talk bird peppers and vegetable plantings at our Tufton production farm before wrapping up with a look at Russian vs. Italian bees. Featuring Michael Tricomi, Interim Manager and Curator of Historic Gardens; Peggy Cornett, Curator of Plants; Debbie Donley, Flower Gardener; Sydney MacCreery, Nursery Associate at the Thomas Jefferson Center for Historic Plants; and Anna Lobianco-Sims, Farm Assistant at Tufton Farm.

April is tulip month at Monticello! In this episode of A Rich Spot of Earth, we celebrate the return of our favorite tulips and share our bulb-planting practices and sources. We also look at what's going on in Monticello's vegetable garden this month, talk about the benefits of Latin names, and highlight two flowering trees that grace our early spring in Virginia: Rebuds (Cercis canadensis) and Dogwood (Cornus florida). Featuring Michael Tricomi, Interim Manager and Curator of Historic Gardens; Peggy Cornett, Curator of Plants; Debbie Donley, Flower Gardener; and, Robert Dowell, Senior Nursery Associate at the Center.

This month on A Rich Spot of Earth, we look at the practice of shipping and planting bare root plants, a Monticello March tradition. We also feature three of our favorite spring ephemerals -- Bloodroot (Sanguinaria canadensis), Twinleaf (Jeffersonia diphylla), and Virginia Bluebells (Mertensia virginica) -- and share when and how you can see them in bloom at Monticello along with how to get and grow your own. Featuring Michael Tricomi, Interim Manager and Curator of Historic Gardens; Peggy Cornett, Curator of Plants; Debbie Donley, Flower Gardener; Jessica Armstrong, Manager of Nursery Operations at the Thomas Jefferson Center for Historic Plants; and, Robert Dowell, Horticulturalist at the Center.

This month on A Rich Spot of Earth, we look at seed sowing, the coming of the new growing season, winter bulbs, nematodes, plants that build soil, plants that spoil soil, and peas, which were arguably Jefferson's favorite vegetable. Featuring Jason Young, Manager and Curator of Historic Gardens at Monticello; Peggy Cornett, Curator of Plants; Michael Tricomi, Vegetable Gardener; and, Debbie Donley, Flower Gardener.

Welcome to A Rich Spot of Earth! Monticello's podcast about Thomas Jefferson, gardening, and the natural world. In this inaugural episode, Monticello's gardeners and groundskeepers look at seeds — one of the most elemental building blocks of the garden — and seed saving, while sharing stories, tips, and techniques from Jefferson's time and our own. Featuring Jason Young, Manager and Curator of Historic Gardens at Monticello; Peggy Cornett, our Curator of Plants; and, Debbie Donley, our Flower Gardener.

June in the Monticello gardens offers a rich array of plants in bloom from Bachelors Buttons and Canterbury Bells to Chives and Cardoons. This time on “A Rich Spot of Earth” we focus in on another star of June, Amaranths, and discuss how to manage garden pests and diseases. We also take a special look at one of the oldest tree species in existence, the Ginkgo. Featuring Peggy Cornett, Curator of Plants; Michael Tricomi, Manager and Curator of Historic Gardens; Debbie Donley, Flower Gardener; and Robert Dowell, Senior Nursery Associate at the Thomas Jefferson Center Historic Plants.