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, Monticello’s official curator of plants offers a definitive account of the planning and preservation of the paths, borders, and flowerbeds of Jefferson’s “little mountain.”   This richly illustrated book examines Jefferson’s 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 Monticello’s ongoing research and the preservation and educational efforts of the Center for Historic Plants, the book includes 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. A well-researched and compellingly written work, which will appeal to gardeners but will also become a standard reference for other sites that undertake garden restoration.? Travis McDonald, Retired Director of Architectural Restoration at Thomas Jefferson?s Poplar Forest, author of Poplar Forest: Thomas Jefferson?s Villa Retreat An authoritative book that can be enjoyed by both a general audience and a specialized one, from visitors to Monticello and people who are interested in historic gardens to the most serious historic plant enthusiast. The story is so well told that it is not necessary to know the botanical names of various cultivars of flowers to enjoy the account of Jefferson and his horticultural adventures, any more than it is necessary to be a veterinarian to appreciate All Creatures Great and Small .? William D. Rieley, Founding Principal of Rieley & Associates, Landscape Architects, Charlottesville, Virginia An authoritative book that can be enjoyed by both a general audience and a specialized one, from visitors to Monticello and people who are interested in historic gardens to the most serious historic plant enthusiast. The story is so well told that it is not necessary to know the botanical names of various cultivars of flowers to enjoy the account of Jefferson and his horticultural adventures, any more than it is necessary to be a veterinarian to appreciate All Creatures Great and Small .― William D. Rieley, Founding Principal of Rieley & Associates, Landscape Architects, Charlottesville, Virginia Peggy Cornett is Curator of Plants for the Thomas Jefferson Foundation at Monticello. G. S. Wilson , former Shannon Senior Historian at the Robert H. Smith International Center for Jefferson Studies at Monticello, is the author of Jefferson on Display: Attire, Etiquette, and the Art of Presentation .