-Greencroft Lecture   

Peggy Cornett, Curator of Plants at Monticello

“Preserving Jefferson’s Gardening Legacy at Monticello”

Thomas Jefferson’s love of Monticello resulted in a lifelong dedication to the gardens, landscapes, and views of his iconic Palladian villa. He designed and oversaw the construction of both the house and its surrounding landscapes for more than forty years. In retirement he famously said, “Though an old man, I am but a young gardener.” Restoring Jefferson’s gardens with accuracy requires rigorous research and careful preservation. The heirlooms of the garden, like priceless antiques, can tell us important and fascinating stories about our past. But, unlike fragile relics kept in museums, living antiques depend upon us for survival and are best preserved and enjoyed by growing them. Peggy Cornett’s presentation features the many varieties—from historic tulips and ancient roses to heirloom fruits, vegetables, and herbs—that have been collected, propagated, and preserved in the gardens at Monticello today.

Peggy Cornett, curator of plants, has worked at Thomas Jefferson’s Monticello since 1983, beginning as the associate director of gardens and grounds. She earned degrees in English and Botany from UNC-Chapel Hill and a master’s from the University of Delaware’s Longwood Graduate Program. Prior to Monticello, Peggy worked in the restored gardens at Old Salem (Winston-Salem, North Carolina) and Oak Alley Plantation in Louisiana. She served as director of the Thomas Jefferson Center for Historic Plants for seventeen years. Peggy often lectures on garden history topics, writes articles for gardening magazines, professional journals and books, and gives radio and television interviews and appears on PBS programs. Peggy has served on Albemarle County’s Natural Heritage Committee and on the garden advisory panel for Thomas Jefferson’s Poplar Forest. Peggy edits Magnolia, the publication of the Southern Garden History Society and, in 2008, she received the SGHS “Flora Ann Bynum Medal” for exemplary service in the garden history field. In 2016 she received the Garden Club of America's Zone VII Horticultural Commendation for her horticultural expertise, generosity in sharing knowledge, and dedication to preserving Thomas Jefferson’s botanical legacy. More recently Peggy received Honorary Memberships in the Garden Club of Virginia and the Garden Club of America. She has an upcoming book being published in 2026.

*This lecture is a great introduction to Monticello’s gardens. An OLLI outing to Monticello's Center for Historic Plants will be offered in Spring 2025.