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Work: The first African American Master Nationally Accredited Landscape Design Critic. Became Emeritus in 2002. Currently, a ten(10) year garden professional at the Home Depot. Former garden & landscape design instructor Kent State University. Horticulturist for the Anheuser-Busch Corporation at Sea World of Ohio. Clubhouse gardener for the American Golf Corpoation for three (3) golf courses. National, state and local awards in horticulture and design. Worked with the staffs of Busch Gardens and Cypress Gardens
Hometown(s): My hometown is Canton, Ohio, the home of the Professional Football Hall of Fame
Quote: "Hand-in-hand with nature is my motto!
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There are many historical seeds sown in the history of African American gardening that many gardeners do not know.
Over the past seven years, I have made a journey of discovery that underlines the importance of letting the general public know the contributions that African Americans have contributed over the centuries to gardening. I can think of no better way of maintaining a piece of my own vital African American history than preserving heirloom seeds for future generations to have for their gardens.
Many of the AARP members will be attending the Life @ 50 Convention scheduled in Washington, D.C. from September 4Th-6Th 2008. There are so many historical places to visit in and around the Washington, D.C. area including Monticello. Many of us who are avid gardeners, know of Thomas Jefferson’s great passion for gardening at Monticello. But most people do not know that Thomas Jefferson’s Head Gardener, Wormley Hughes, was an African American slave.
Wormley Hughes’ great gardening skills played an important role in the success of the gardens at Monticello. He is mentioned frequently in Jefferson’s gardening journals that he kept for many years. Wormley Hughes prepared and planted the gardens at Monticello. He sowed vegetable seeds, planted bulbs and trees for Jefferson’s 1,000 Foot Kitchen Garden. Wormley fussed over Thomas Jefferson’s “Pet” trees such as his favorite Spitzenburg Apple trees. Jefferson used his garden as his laboratory. He loved to collect many species of vegetables, fruits and flowers. He had at one time over 300 varieties of plants in his gardens at Monticello. Many of these plants are still preserved and grown today as heirlooms at Monticello.
If you tour Monticello, you may see remnants of the slave cabins and root cellars where the Monticello slaves kept their precious crops that they had for themselves. Slave gardens were not unique to just Thomas Jefferson. Many slave owners allowed their slaves to grow their own fruits and vegetables. Some even sold their crops to other people for profit. There is a record of both Thomas Jefferson and George Washington purchasing produce from their slaves and obtaining seed stock from the slaves, as well.
Wormley Hughes’ last gardening project for his slave master, Thomas Jefferson, was to dig his grave. Well done thou good and faithful servant!
While visiting our nation’s capitol, take time to look at all of the hidden historical treasures including the beautiful gardens of Monticello. It is a history everyone who gardens should take in as a special garden tour.
