water to the many plants at Monticello was a continuous problem for Jefferson. In 1808 Jefferson began the construction of four cisterns to collect water channeled from the roofs of buildings into gutters. During his presidency, Jefferson made frequent visits to Monticello, often bringing with him new plants and flowers to be planted. While away, Jefferson wrote instructions to Edmund Bacon, his overseer. Most of the planting was done from 1808 to 1812. After Jefferson's death in 1826, the conditions of the gardens declined rapidly. Parts of the property were sold to pay off the large debts of his estate. New owners plowed land and planted paper mulberries and silkworm, which had the potential to generate large profits at the time. In 1923 the Thomas Jefferson Memorial Fund (now Thomas Jefferson Foundation) was established and purchased large portions of the Monticello property. The Garden Club of Virginia was later enlisted to restore the gardens. They found that Jefferson had left extensive notes on his original planting, as well as instructions. The original plan for the gardens written by Jefferson in 1807 was found and used as the basis for the restoration project. The original beauty of the Monticello Gardens has been restored with great accuracy. Visitors can see the oval and circular flower beds around the house which Jefferson had designed and enjoyed nearly 200 years before. Horticulture and design Flowers A winding walk is bordered by flower beds, and twenty oval beds are planted at the corners of the house. The twenty oval beds were each planted with a different flower species with bulbs and seeds provided mainly by Bernard McMahon, a Philadelphia nurseryman. The plans for the winding flower border were laid out in 1808 and the garden was planted and tended to by Jefferson's daughters as well as elderly slaves. The winding path, modeled after English gardens which Jefferson had admired in 1786, was located behind the house. Instead of rigid, straight lines, the garden took a more natural, curved path. To keep the garden organized, Jefferson divided the border into 10-foot sections and had each section planted with a different species of flower. Vegetable The vegetable garden at Monticello was started in 1770. In 1806 a terrace system was introduced, to create a flat plateau that was hewed from the side of the hill and supported by a giant stone wall. Because of the location in