The Thomas Jefferson Gardens is putting the finishing touches on its project to beautify the grounds around the welcome center on the southeast corner of the downtown square.

Member John Turpin says the primary attraction is the five gardens that they planted earlier this year.  On the north side is a prairie which includes over 700 plants.  The west side features a perennial flower garden with over 200 plants.  The south end is the farmer’s garden with vegetables and other fruits and herbs.  Turpin points out that there are several vegetables from Thomas Jefferson’s actual home in Monticello, Virginia.  By the building on the south side is a children’s garden represented by animal-related plants.

The east side spotlights crops and other food grown in 1917 compared to the modern era of farming.  Turnpin talks about why they chose foods grown in 1917 for that particular garden.

“Because the courthouse was built in 1917, we tried to put crops on the east side that representative in 1917 that farmers in Greene County would be growing.”

He adds that there are also five trees planted around the gardens.  They just have to plant the modern crops on the east side and finish putting together the irrigation system.

Two horticultural classes from Iowa State University helped with the design and layout of each garden and they had helped from Krieger’s Greenhouses to get most of the seeds from other nurseries around the state and from ISU for the heritage seeds.

Thomas Jefferson Gardens still needs donations to set up a fund through the Greene County Community Foundation for annual maintenance of the gardens.  Donations can be made by contacting president Tom Polking at 386-3158.