“No occupation is so delightful to me as the culture of the earth, and no culture comparable to that of the garden.” – Thomas Jefferson
This week we will be celebrating Independence Day, the Fourth of July. In celebrating the birth of our nation, we also celebrate the Founding Fathers and all that they achieved in creating our great country. Did you know that many of our Founding Fathers were also our Founding Gardeners? These men were passionate about their gardens and some of these gardens can still be seen today.
George Washington, Thomas Jefferson and James Madison, among others, were all avid gardeners. In some ways, they viewed their gardens as expressions of the fledgling country. In their minds, possibly, as their gardens thrived, so would their country.
They each spent considerable time researching, planning and planting their gardens. A visit to Mount Vernon, Monticello and Montpellier will confirm just how much forethought went into these gardens. At Monticello, one can see the log books kept by Thomas Jefferson. It is full of layouts and notes as to what plants were successful and which were not. They also each worked hard to use native plants, something that has once again come into style.
It should also be noted that gardening was a way to be self-sustainable in the young America. Back then, there was not a Safeway or Giant on every corner. For the most part, these men lived in the country. It was necessary to have gardens to grow food. Their lives depended upon it, and they were very good at growing enough food to survive.
At our company office in Clarksburg, Maryland, Allentuck Landscaping Co. keeps a large vegetable garden inspired by Thomas Jefferson’s garden at Monticello. Our goal is to provide healthy, organic vegetables to our employees and their families, much the way Jefferson did. We even have some heirloom plants grown from seeds that originated at Monticello!
Our Founding Fathers viewed gardening as time well spent. Perhaps they even viewed it as a way to clear their mind and help them envision what the future of America would look like. Although our gardens may not be as large as Washington’s, Jefferson’s or Madison’s, nor are we creating a new country, isn’t it nice to know that we, as gardeners, share a common bond with such great men.
Allentuck Landscaping Co. is Your Residential Landscape Company
Phone: 301-515-1900 Email: info@allentucklandscaping.com
At Allentuck Landscaping Company, our mission is to create beautiful environments for people to enjoy. We see landscaping as a way to improve people’s lives.
The Allentuck Landscaping Company team has been a leading landscape company in Montgomery County, Maryland for over 28 years with our turnkey approach to landscape design, installation, construction and maintenance. Most companies try to serve many types of customers at the same time; homeowners, shopping centers, office buildings and the list goes on. At Allentuck Landscaping Co., we focus on one customer, you, the homeowner. We have a singular focus on bringing you the best landscape practices, the best customer service, and the best value for your home.
Services Provide – Master Landscape Plans, Complete Maintenance Programs, Plantings, Patios, Walkways, Retaining Walls, Water Features, Outdoor Lighting, Outdoor Kitchens, Trellises & Pergolas, Irrigation Systems, Drainage Solutions, Grading & Sodding. Fire Pits & Fire Places, Spring Clean Ups, Decks, Fences, Mosquito & Tick Control, Deer Control.
Areas Served – Chevy Chase, Bethesda, Potomac, Rockville, North Potomac, Darnestown, Gaithersburg, Germantown, Damascus, Boyds, Clarksburg, Ijamsville, Urbana, Frederick in Maryland and Washington DC.