Saturdays in the Garden Calendar
Jul. 11, 2009
Natural History of Trees
Trees were among Thomas Jefferson’s favorite plants. This two-hour walking tour explores the natural history of Monticello’s native trees. Learn to identify about 50 species through an understanding of their ornamental, cultural, and historical character. Peter Hatch will lead this relaxed morning ramble through a typical Central Virginia hardwood forest. Reservations required. Meets at the Garden Center Thomas Jefferson Visitor Center, 9:30 a.m. Reservations required; $10
Jul. 18, 2009
Rain Barrel Workshop
Garnett Mellen will lead this two-hour workshop on the benefits of collecting rooftop water with rain barrels. Easy to do, and such a positive step in preserving our water supply, no landscape should be without them. Meets at Tufton Farm. Reservations required; $10. For $45, participants may build their own barrel to bring home with them; the deadline to register for building your own barrel is July 10.
Jul. 25, 2009
Woody Plant Propagation
Propagating trees and shrubs from seeds, cuttings, or layers is one of the most gratifying of the horticultural arts. Marc McVicker will lead this 2½-hour workshop at the propagating facilities at Tufton Farm. He’ll discuss the principles of seed sowing – timing, stratification, and soil mediums – and review the fundamentals of asexual propagation. Bring pruning shears. Reservations required. Meets at CHP's Tufton Farm nursery, 9:30 a.m. $10
Aug. 1, 2009
Winemaking Workshop
Join Gabriele Rausse for this two-hour session on wine production. Learn how to make your own, from harvest through fermentation to bottling, in this participatory workshop in Monticello’s restored vineyards. 9:30 a.m., Jordan Classroom, Thomas Jefferson Visitor Center. Reservations required; $10.
Aug. 8, 2009
Tomato Tasting
Heirloom tomatoes are now at the height of fashion, and one can only marvel at the genetic diversity found in everyone’s homegrown favorite. This two-hour participatory workshop led by Maggie Thompson will examine and rate a sample of varieties now available to gardeners. Participants are encouraged to bring in their own favorite garden varieties. Reservations required. Meets at the Garden Center, Thomas Jefferson Visitor Center, 9:30 a.m. $10.
- See the results of the 2007 Tomato Tasting.
Aug. 8, 2009
Heritage Harvest Festival at Monticello Benefit Concert
Virginia singer-songwriters Devon Sproule and Adrienne Young will be the featured performers at this event, which will be preceded by a local-food tasting and a seed-saving demonstration. 6:30 p.m. at the Thomas Jefferson Visitor Center. $25.
More information about the Heritage Harvest Festival is available at www.HeritageHarvestFestival.com
Aug. 15, 2009
Summer Fruit Tasting
Enjoy the harvests of summer, what Thomas Jefferson referred to as “precious refreshment.” On site in Monticello’s Orchard, Tom Burford, Peter Hatch, Gabriele Rausse, and Fruit Gardener Kerry Gilmer will entertain participants with the fruits of summer -- early apples, peaches, figs, grapes, nectarines, apple cider, blackberries, pears, and others. Short talks on the history of fruit growing in Virginia will vary the menu in this informal two-hour feast in Jefferson's Fruitery. Reservations required. Meets at the Garden Center, Thomas Jefferson Visitor Center, 9:30 a.m. $10.
Aug. 22, 2009
Creating an Herbal Potpourri
Dennis Whetzel will demonstrate an 18th-century recipe for making potpourri from old garden roses, fragrant heirloom flowers and herbs, and exotic spices. This 2½-hour workshop will include a discussion on the use of essential oils and fixatives for long-lasting fragrance. Meets at CHP's Tufton Farm Nursery, 9:30 a.m. $10.
Sep. 11, 2009
Heritage Harvest Festival Preview Workshops
This afternoon of workshops and tours will highlight the work of the Center for Historic Plants at Tufton Farm, and will include tours of the display gardens and nursery, a workshop on herbs and roses, and a program on sustainable gardening practices. Noon-3:30 p.m., Tufton Farm. Free; no registration required. Call (434) 984-9816 for additional information.
Sep. 11, 2009
HHF Preview - The Heirloom Tomato: From Garden to Table
This special event will combine a seed-saving tour in the gardens of Monticello with an illustrated lecture by author and heirloom vegetable authority Amy Goldman. She will celebrate the world’s most beautiful fruit in all its glorious diversity. 4 p.m., Garden Center, Thomas Jefferson Visitor Center. $35. Tickets not yet available. Call (434) 984-9816 for more information.
Sep. 12, 2009
Heritage Harvest Festival at Monticello
Co-sponsored with the Southern Exposure Seed Exchange, the third annual Heritage Harvest Festival at Monticello will be held on Montalto, Jefferson’s “high mountain” that rises 400 feet above Monticello. The festival is a family-oriented, educational event designed to promote sustainable gardening and heirloom plants. It will highlight the efforts of nonprofit organizations promoting organic gardening, the preservation of traditional agriculture, and regional food; and will provide an array of food vendors and free samples. The festival also will include tastings, informative workshops, and talks by authorities such as Tom Burford and William Woys Weaver. $5 per car. Visit the Web site www.HeritageHarvestFestival.com for additional information.
Sep. 19, 2009
Virginia Cider Making
It was a significant event when Americans began eating their fruit rather than drinking it. Fruit Gardener Kerry Gilmer and Tom Burford will first review our Virginia cider-making tradition, and then demonstrate the process itself in Monticello’s South Orchard. Although you will need to help turn the crank, the cider made from the Hughes’ Crab, described as "ambrosia" by one apple enthusiast, will be your just reward. Reservations required. Meets at Tufton Farm, 9:30 a.m. $10
Sep. 26, 2009
Seed Saving Workshop
The historic tradition of seed saving in America provides a model for modern gardeners eager to get the most from their gardens. Many special garden plants are unavailable commercially and need to be preserved from year to year. Learn the dynamics of seed production, and then visit the gardens for a collecting demonstration. Debbie Donley will lead this 2.5-hour workshop. Reservations required. Meets at the Garden Center, Thomas Jefferson Visitor Center, 9:30 a.m. $10
Oct. 3, 2009
Thomas Jefferson and Natural History Walk
Thomas Jefferson's passion for gardening arose from his wide-eyed curiosity about the “tranquil pursuits” of science. Peggy Cornett will lead this two-hour trek through the forests of Monticello mountain. Participants will examine autumn wildflowers, seedpods and nuts, trees, mammals, birds, the skies, fungi, insects, and geology with the historical perspective of the sage of Monticello ever in mind. Please wear sturdy shoes. Reservations required. Meets at the Garden Center, Thomas Jefferson Visitor Center, 9:30 a.m. $10
Oct. 10, 2009
Tufton Fern Walk
Ferns will be the excuse for this ramble through the forests of Tufton Farm. Peggy Cornett and Peter Hatch will lead this two-hour walk through a uniquely pristine, relatively undisturbed, and isolated natural woodland. Be prepared for briar scratches, spider webs, and uneven terrain. Reservations required. Meets at the Tufton Farm, 9:30 a.m. $10
Oct. 17, 2009
Apple Tasting
This annual event, truly a unique opportunity to explore the essence of the apple, has been among our most popular programs. Tom Burford will provide numerous apple varieties, each introduced with a discussion of their history and culture. Participants will taste, savor, and, most importantly, rate each apple in this 2½-hour program. Reservations required. Meets at 9:30 a.m. at the Tufton Farm nursery. $10
See the results of the 2007 Apple Tasting.
Oct. 24, 2009
History of the Thomas Jefferson Parkway Hike
The development of the Thomas Jefferson Parkway – the creation of Kemper Park, Saunders-Monticello Trail, and Saunders Bridge – is an intriguing story full of drama, creative design, and clever construction. Join Peter Hatch for a two-hour hike that will focus on the evolution of the project. Meets at the Garden Center, Thomas Jefferson Visitor Center, 9:30 a.m. Reservations required; $10.
Oct. 31, 2009
Cooking Unusual Vegetables
Visitors to Monticello’s Vegetable Garden are curious about how to prepare many of the odd and rare vegetables found there. Gabriele Rausse will introduce participants to surprising curiosities such as sea kale, cardoon, and Caracalla bean flowers, as well as underappreciated gourmet vegetables from Florence fennel to fava beans. Meets at the Smith Woodland Pavilion, Thomas Jefferson Visitor Center, 9:30 a.m. $10.
Nov. 14, 2009
Vinegar Making Workshop
Vinegar was an integral ingredient in various Jefferson-family recipes, and there’s more to vinegar, translated literally as “sour wine,” than salad dressing. Most people are unaware of the rich traditions of using vinegar in cooking, as a food preservative, and even as a wholesome beverage. Join Gabriele Rausse in reviewing the basic principles of making vinegar then learn how to use it in creative ways. Meets at Smith Woodland Pavilion, Thomas Jefferson Visitor Center, 9:30 a.m. $10.
Saturdays in the Garden convene at:
- the Garden Center, Jordan Classroom, and Smith Woodland Pavilion in the Thomas Jefferson Visitor Center;
- or at Tufton Farm: go 1.3 miles east of Monticello on the Thomas Jefferson Parkway (Rt. 53), take a left before the Simeon Market at a sharp right curve and proceed .6 mile on Milton Rd (Rt. 732) to Tufton entrance. Take a left and follow driveway to CHP headquarters in grey barn.
- or at the Jefferson Library, at Kenwood, .2 mile east of Monticello's entrance on Rt. 53 (Thomas Jefferson Parkway);
- or at Thomas Jefferson
Parkway Trailhead, on Rt. 53, .2
mile east of the junction with Rt. 20.