flowers and glass

On a previous post my grandson and I visited gardens that had glass sculpture among the plantings..    I have started collecting these water balls so I could put some glass in my garden too.  Not as fancy as the blown glass in the garden at Ginter  but it's still glass and I like it,  I want to find some brighter colors maybe.

Last year I visited Monticello and purchased seeds that were harvested from the plantings there.   This one I like is called the Prickly Poppy - grown in Jefferson's garden.

I hope more will come up next year from the seed maybe dropped from this plant.

June  18 1767  - Jefferson recorded in his garden book that Argemone  put out one flower at his Shadwell garden.      Mexican Argemone grows two feet and has delicate looking pale lemon flowers.
The leaves are prickly and are striped.

Looks like an alien face on the bud ready to open

this tea rose is prettiest now in the fall ,  must like the cooler weather.

Monticello visit

Areas around Thomas Jefferson's home are oval flower beds.   The west lawn is bordered by a winding flower border.
Because they could be shipped easily, Tulips, Anemones and hyacinths were plentiful in the gardens.  Tulips are  mentioned the most in Jefferson's garden book, planted in 1807 from Europe.

When Jefferson died  in 1826, his flower gardens disappeared.  Between 1939 and 1941 the gardens were revived by the Garden club of Virginia.  Researchers found sketches by Jefferson of the West Lawn winding  border walk and oval border plan.   They were able to find raised areas around the West lawn by shining their car headlights across the lawn at night.   Many of the species grown are geraniums, zinnias, French and African marigold among others.  700 species of seeds yearly; Jefferson received from Paris.  The plants look more like like wildflowers because they are leggy and have more foliage than flowers.  I think they look lacy and beautiful .    I bought some seeds from the gift shop in Monticello that come from the plants grown on the property.  I can't wait to see how they turn out,  especially the prickly poppy with variegated leaves.    I want to visit in the spring next year to see the spring flowers.

winding flower walk on west lawn

 
Peruvian Zinnias

cockscomb

Josephs coat

foxglove

 flower beds at house

prickly poppy

tuber rose

 vegetable garden

 beautiful view of mountains from Monticello

grapes

 Lavender cotton

 Fish caught in the river were kept in this pond til ready for use

Rosemary and other herbs on left side of walkway

 I couldn't get over how large the Ivy vine is

 Kitchen

 old wine bottle found on property

I couldn't help but notice the huge tree - gorgeous

 horse stable

 Jefferson grave

 and family cemetary

 gate to cemetary

flowers planted on grave blooming

There is so much to see and learn at Monticello.

Monticello

My husbands brother and sister in law came for a visit last week.   We had a wonderful time touring around town.   We also took a little ride to the mountains to visit Thomas Jefferson's estate.  The third President of the United States,  author of the Declaration of Independence and the statute of Va. for Religious freedom, also founder of the University of Va.. 
Such an interesting tour,  a genius he was.   With the land he inherited from his father, Jefferson built Monticello when he was 26 years old.  When we enter the home, it is through the back entrance , the same area that carriages would bring guests.   In the entrance hall there is a mezzanine that connects the upper floors two wings.   From the outside - the home looks to be one level with the long narrow windows and their placement.
The second floor starts  at the ledge of the 9 panes on top of the 12.  
Our tour guide told us that Jefferson did not like the waste of heat and space with an exposed staircase.    I understand that their are tours of the upstairs, but for some reason we could not take that tour on this day.    I understand that as many as 25 family members would live at Monticello at times, and that the upstairs is small.  Areas they would sleep would be small sleeping alcoves.  Nine bedrooms with the famous Dome room.

Our entrance

closer view of window placement (enlarge to see clearer)

in this picture is the University of Va. as seen from Monticello

Bill and Luann with Mr. Jefferson

I will show some of the gardens tomorrow