1623 – “Every family in this plantation hath a garden… wherein groweth parsley, sage, thyme, onions, carrots, turnips, and such like.” — William Bradford, *Of Plymouth Plantation*, ed. Samuel Eliot Morison, 1952, p. 162.
1630 – “We have planted gardens near every dwelling, where mint, mustard, and the Indian bean do prosper.” — John Winthrop, *Winthrop Papers*, Massachusetts Historical Society, Vol. 2, p. 98.
1645 – “Sister Bourne doth supply the meeting with balm and lavender from her garden behind the meeting house.” — First Church Records of Boston, Massachusetts Archives, Vol. 10, p. 184.
1652 – “Goody Hawkins tends to physic herbs, for her own household and others. Her garden is much spoken of.” — Dorchester Town Records, Massachusetts State Archives.
1666 – “Our gardens thrive with roots and simples. The women say wormwood and tansy favor well this year.” — Letter from Increase Mather to John Cotton, in *Mather Family Papers*, American Antiquarian Society.
1678 – “She keepeth a goodly patch of earth where rosemary and rue are grown in rows. None in the town have finer balm.” — Colonial Court Testimony, Suffolk County Court Records, 1678.
1684 – “I did see at Salem many physic herbs laid to dry in Mistress Endicott’s garden.” — John Dunton, *Letters from New England*, Boston Public Library Manuscript Collection.
1702 – “Herbs for the stillroom are now gathered by the young women: sweet marjoram, feverfew, and pennyroyal among them.” — Journal of Thomas Prince, Massachusetts Historical Society Proceedings.
1715 – “The garden hath been enlarged to permit melons and cucumbers; also a patch of asparagus from England now flourisheth.” — Jonathan Belcher to his sister, in *Belcher Family Papers*, Massachusetts Archives.
1729 – “Goody Adams’s herb-bed lies behind her kitchen. She drieth sage and hyssop, and maketh a cordial of wormwood.” — Marblehead Town Records, Essex County Archives.
1735 – “In Boston, I saw many fair gardens. One gentlewoman showed me her gillyflowers and physic plants with pride.” — Peter Kalm, *Travels into North America*, trans. Asa Gray, Vol. 1, p. 126.
1744 – “They have a fine garden laid out in the European fashion. It hath rows of box, with savory, thyme, and a few roses.” — Eliza Lucas Pinckney, letter to Harriott Lucas, in *The Letterbook of Eliza Lucas Pinckney*, ed. Elise Pinckney, 1972.
1753 – “Sister Hannah [Callender] gathers mint and chamomile to dry. Her diary keeps account of what blooms and when.” — Journal of Rebecca Rawson, Massachusetts Historical Society Manuscript Collection.
1761 – “In the neighborhood of Roxbury, gardens do flourish. I was shown lemon balm and lovage.” — William Bartram, field notes, Bartram Family Papers, American Philosophical Society.
1774 – “Mistress Gill’s reflections on lilies and tulips reveal a soul attentive to both nature and Providence.” — Diary of Sarah Prince Gill, Massachusetts Historical Society Manuscripts.
1775 – “Amid the trouble of this year, women still turn the soil behind their homes and hope that balm and thyme might ease the fevers to come.” — Unattributed, *Boston Evening-Post*, May 15, 1775, p. 2.
