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The Real Housewives of New Jersey:

Early American Women and Their Kitchen Gardens

Early American women's kitchen gardens were practical, functional spaces located close to the house, filled with a mix of vegetables, fruits, and herbs for culinary, medicinal and household uses.

Kitchen gardens in the 1700's fed, healed, and clothed Early American families. The 18th century "huswife" skill set included "physicke, cookery, distillation, perfumery, the making of wool, hemp, flax, dayries, brewing, baking," and, of course - gardening. 

Growing plants both Native American and from their homelands, these women turned their soup pots into the "melting pot" that is America and exemplified all the best qualities of  plantswomen and patriots. 

Presenter: Lesley Parness - For the past 5 decades travel, academic studies, and work have provided a rewarding context for Lesley's love of plants. After a long career in museums and botanic gardens around the world she retired from her final post as Superintendent of Horticultural Education at New Jersey's Morris County Park Commission where she oversaw programming and interpretation at The Frelinghuysen Arboretum, Willowwood Arboretum and Bamboo Brook Outdoor Education Center.

Currently, she is enjoying my own garden and spending time with like-minded plant people. She is a member of the Herb Society of America, The Council on Horticultural and Botanical Libraries, and Garden State Gardens, a consortium of New Jersey's public gardens of which she is  a founding member and past President. Her column, The Garden Historian, is featured bi-monthly in "Gardener News Magazine".

She offers illustrated lectures to garden clubs, plant and historic societies, Master Gardener groups, and libraries - both in person and online. 

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