What can the founding fathers’ gardens tell you about them and early America? According to Andrea Wulf everything! Taking what could be a dry topic, Wulf digs into the botanical side of history to show how the farms and gardens of each of the founding fathers were microcosms of how they wished to shape America. Washington, the reluctant general and post-war president, focuses on popularizing native species and developing a distinctly American farm. Jefferson loves the theory of planning an elaborate plantation but struggles with the practicality of turning a profit. Adams, the sole non-slave owner, works side by side with his wife on their small working farm. Hamilton, the banker tries and fails to harness the power of the waterfalls in Paterson New Jersey to create an industrial town.
Each of these men was deeply aware of how their actions would shape America for centuries to come and all of them found inspiration and solace in the land as they worked to build the nation. Did you know that John Adams and Thomas Jefferson, when they were serving as ambassadors to England and France, once took an almost buddy comedy-like month-long tour of English gardens? Or that Jefferson’s Monticello is on top of a mountain with no natural water source? Or that Jethro Tull is not just the name of a band but an actual farmer who made significant breakthroughs in agriculture? I did not and this may be one of the reasons I found Founding Gardeners enjoyable. My main criticism of this work would be that it fails to meaningfully engage in what these relationships to the land mean along with the existence of slavery. I believe that Wulf tries to wade into the hypocritical nature of Washington and Jefferson’s plantations but to mixed success. By not taking any time to talk about how Jefferson used his “American Farmer” ideal to cement racial and class divides between blacks and whites, Wulf loses a vital and interesting part of her thesis.
Pick this up if you are looking for a quick travel read or an audiobook for commuting. Hamilton fans be prepared to be slightly distracted trying to figure out what songs would be taking place during different parts of the book.