Plants in Early American Gardens - Long Island Cheese Winter Squash

Long Island Cheese Winter Squash (Cucurbita moschata)

This Long Island heirloom was known as the original “Cheese Wheel.” It has smooth, heavily ribbed, buff-colored skin with a deep orange, sweet flesh. This winter squash weighs 6-10 pounds, and is considered one of the best baking varieties and is excellent in pies. It also stores well.

Contact The Thomas Jefferson Center for Historic Plants at
Email chp@monticello.org
Phone 434-984-9819

18C American Landscape - Hunting Scene with a Pond

18C American Landscape Hunting Scene with a Pond

Plants in Early American Gardens - Perennial Pea

Perennial Pea (Lathyrus latifolius)

Perennial Pea is a summer-flowering vine that Thomas Jefferson sowed in one of the oval beds at Monticello in 1807. It was an established garden plant in America before 1720. Perennial Pea is a long-lived vigorous climber with attractive blue-green leaves and showy flowers in red, pink, or rarely, white. Although European in origin, it has naturalized in many parts of the United States, especially on roadsides.

Contact The Thomas Jefferson Center for Historic Plants at
Email chp@monticello.org
Phone 434-984-9819

Plants in Early American Gardens - Gaura

Gaura (Gaura lindheimeri)

Although native to Louisiana, Texas, and parts of Mexico, Gaura is hardy as far north as Washington state and eastern Massachusetts. It was introduced into England in 1850 and named for the great German botanist Ferdinand Jacob Lindheimer. Peter Henderson noted in his Handbook of Plants (1890) that this was the only species "in general cultivation." He continued to observe that the "profusion of its spikes of graceful flowers, makes it a valuable plant for garden decoration; and the flowers are very useful for bouquets or vases."

Contact The Thomas Jefferson Center for Historic Plants at
Email chp@monticello.org
Phone 434-984-9819

Seasons Change - Williamsburg's Spring Gardens give way to Summer...

All photos from Colonial Williamsburg Foundation.