• Founding Gardeners

  • The Revolutionary Generation, Nature, and the Shaping of the American Nation
  • By: Andrea Wulf
  • Narrated by: Antonia Bath
  • Length: 9 hrs and 20 mins
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars (200 ratings)

Prime logo Prime members: New to Audible?
Get 2 free audiobooks during trial.
Pick 1 audiobook a month from our unmatched collection.
Listen all you want to thousands of included audiobooks, Originals, and podcasts.
Access exclusive sales and deals.
Premium Plus auto-renews for $14.95/mo after 30 days. Cancel anytime.
Founding Gardeners  By  cover art

Founding Gardeners

By: Andrea Wulf
Narrated by: Antonia Bath
Try for $0.00

$14.95/month after 30 days. Cancel anytime.

Buy for $18.00

Buy for $18.00

Pay using card ending in
By confirming your purchase, you agree to Audible's Conditions of Use and Amazon's Privacy Notice. Taxes where applicable.

Publisher's summary

From the author of the acclaimed The Brother Gardeners, a fascinating look at the founding fathers from the unique and intimate perspective of their lives as gardeners, plantsmen, and farmers.

For the founding fathers, gardening, agriculture, and botany were elemental passions, as deeply ingrained in their characters as their belief in liberty for the nation they were creating.

Andrea Wulf reveals for the first time this aspect of the revolutionary generation. She describes how, even as British ships gathered off Staten Island, George Washington wrote his estate manager about the garden at Mount Vernon; how a tour of English gardens renewed Thomas Jefferson’s and John Adams’s faith in their fledgling nation; how a trip to the great botanist John Bartram’s garden helped the delegates of the Constitutional Congress break their deadlock; and why James Madison is the forgotten father of American environmentalism. These and other stories reveal a guiding but previously overlooked ideology of the American Revolution.

Founding Gardeners adds depth and nuance to our understanding of the American experiment and provides us with a portrait of the founding fathers as they’ve never before been seen.

©2011 Andrea Wulf (P)2011 Random House Audio
  • Unabridged Audiobook
  • Categories: History

What listeners say about Founding Gardeners

Average customer ratings
Overall
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    125
  • 4 Stars
    51
  • 3 Stars
    15
  • 2 Stars
    7
  • 1 Stars
    2
Performance
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    108
  • 4 Stars
    38
  • 3 Stars
    17
  • 2 Stars
    3
  • 1 Stars
    1
Story
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    112
  • 4 Stars
    37
  • 3 Stars
    10
  • 2 Stars
    4
  • 1 Stars
    1

Reviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.

Sort by:
Filter by:
  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • C.
  • 05-06-11

"Outstanding Listen"


I read Andrea Wulf's first book, "The Brother Gardeners" and was amazed at how a non-fiction book on the history of botany could read like a novel. I am also an avid listener to books and when I saw it available on Audible, I immediately downloaded "The Founding Gardeners". This second book even excels the first one! It's a great history book about the founding fathers of the United States, and the way agriculture and gardening shaped the the country. There are lessons learned in this book not taught in classroom history. Ms. Wulf is a gifted writer and Antonia Bath is the perfect choice to narrate. I have also ordered it in hardback to add to my library of botanical books.

You don't have to be a plant nut to enjoy this book. I would recommend it to anyone, especially anyone interested in American history. And, I shall enjoy re-listening to it too. A real plus to me.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

10 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars

Sublimely informative...

This Audible book really gives you a sense of the founding of this country. Although it is documented with scholarly precision and jam-packed with historical detail, it is a truly compelling listen. Thus far, 'Founding Gardeners' is my favorite audio book. A jewel.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

7 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

The underpinning of America's first 4 Presidents

There's not a single book that accomplishes what Andrea did; bring to life the Agrarian life that shaped our first 4 presidents. It's clear that she has read John Adams, His Excellency, Jefferson's only book, the websites and original documents of these Presidents. She weaves in monumental historical events with a perspective of, what else what on the mind of these men? The answer, soil, compost, economic independence through new crops and farming methods. Thank you!

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

4 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    1 out of 5 stars

Very little about gardening

This is more like reading a history book. Very little info about gardening and nature.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

3 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars
  • LS
  • 09-25-12

Enjoyable audiobook about gardens

If you could sum up Founding Gardeners in three words, what would they be?

HIstory of the gardens of Jefferson, Washington, Madison and Adams and their gardening inspirations

What was one of the most memorable moments of Founding Gardeners?

Adams and Jefferson traveling to gardens in England.

Any additional comments?

I listened to the audiobook prior to a visit to Monticello and Mt Vernon. It increased my appreciation of the gardens.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

2 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Fascinating

If you enjoy gardening, you will find this book quite interesting. Broadly, it's about how the founders viewed agriculture and gardening as a symbol of the new nation and how it distinguished the new country from Europe. You learn how obsessed they were with new American varieties and propagating them in their own gardens. They regularly exchanged seeds. Originally, I began listening to this book thru library loan, but I enjoyed it so much, I bought it. BTW, the narration is excellent, too.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Loved this book

I’ll be honest, I wasn’t sure about this book when our book club chose to read it. But I am a history buff and loved hearing how our founding fathers were so enamored, educated, and influenced by the botany, flora and fauna — of our country. This book made me appreciate how the forming of this great nation was so unique. I would recommend to anyone with a passing interest in gardens, our founding fathers, and the history of our great country.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

A great history of freedom and farming

This book was really enjoyable. It provided a very thorough history of the founding fathers and their relationship to gardening and farming. It was really eye-opening to see how the farming backgrounds of the founders affected their philosophy of politics and government. The super great read, with a great history of farming and agricultural practices of early America. I highly recommend it.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

For those who love history & gardening

I love this book. The correlation of history & gardening especially by the founding fathers was a rich perspective on the roots of America. Washington, Jefferson, Adam’s, and more. They were all gardener.
The tonal quality of the actors voice was pleasant.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

this was a perfect book for someone like myself.

I love history and gardening and this was the perfect blend. I do wish the narrator was not British since the book is about the revolution. it seemed a mismatch.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!