American Eden

Americans love to garden, a passion that can be traced back to Thomas Jefferson and the ever-evolving grounds of Monticello. But a garden is much more than a creative outlet; it acts as a window both into the personality of its creator, and the culture of its time. In American Eden, Wade Graham explores the history of gardening in the United States, and how roses, marigolds and petunias can reflect the tensions and energies of a constantly changing society.

This unique narrative melds biography, history, and cultural commentary to tell the story of America through its most significant gardens and their creators. Jefferson’s Monticello, for example, reflected not only his embrace of Enlightenment philosophy, but also his inner conflict regarding his roles as statesman, slave-owner, farmer, and lover. American Eden is a compelling tale that highlights Americans’ ability to continually reinvent, enhance and improve the world around them.

Wade Graham is a Los Angeles-based garden designer, historian, and writer whose work on the environment, landscape, urbanism, and the arts has appeared in The New Yorker, Harper’s, The Los Angeles Times, OnEarth, Outside, and other publications. He received a B.A. in comparative literature from Columbia University, and an M.A. and Ph.D. in American history at the University of California at Los Angeles. He is adjunct professor of public policy at Pepperdine University.

“The American garden has found its destined interpreter in Wade Graham.” — Kevin Starr, author of Golden Gate: The Life and Times of America’s Greatest Bridge