Tom Burford was a horticulturist, orchardist, nurseryman and consultant specializing in restoration, re-creation, and design at historic sites (including Monticello) as well as, backyard and commercial orchards and private estates. He was the author of Apples: A Catalog of International Varieties (1991, 1998) and co-author of The Fruit Grafters Handbook (2001). He co-authored the Brooklyn Botanic Garden book The Best Apples to Buy and Grow (2005).