Flowers for the First Family: The History of the White House Rose Garden

On By The WreckerIn 1999, 2000, January, October
White House Rose Garden — August 22, 2020

“Good evening and welcome to the White House on this special occasion. I want to start by thanking the talented people who made the renewal of the White House Rose Garden possible.  Many of you are with us tonight.  The President and I are grateful for your time and effort – your hard work, dedication, and generosity are reflected in this beautiful garden.

Teamwork among the landscape architects, contractors, consultants, Park Service, Secret Service and White House personnel was key to successfully accomplishing this work. I would also like to thank those whose generous contributions made this work possible. I deeply appreciate your support for America’s garden, my family, and the White House.

The Rose Garden layout we have all come to know and treasure was designed during the Kennedy Administration by Bunny Mellon. For 60 years, this space has served as the backdrop for many important events. The garden has also served as a peaceful outdoor escape for many administrations and their guests.

The changes you see tonight are the result of a thoughtful and collaborative process carefully crafted with the help of scholars and experts in architecture, horticulture, design, and historic preservation.

This renewal included improvements to the infrastructure and utilities, allowing this beautiful garden to more readily meet the needs of a busy White House. These improvements also make the garden fully accessible to all Americans, including those with disabilities.

I am grateful for the commitment and strength of our team, allowing us to complete this project with such an ambitious schedule. This amazing achievement is a lasting legacy, not only for the People’s House, but for all those involved in its successful realization.

Gardens are symbols of growth and hope. We celebrate this garden in the hope that future generations will not only enjoy – but also draw inspiration and strength – from this space where so much of our history has been shared.

Thank you all for your dedication and contributions to this incredible project.

Please enjoy your time this evening alongside your friends and colleagues. Thank you, may God Bless you, and may God Bless the United States of America.”
-Melania Trump

-Excerpt courtesy of the White House, Statements & Releases, “Readout from the Reopening of the White House Rose Garden,” August 22, 2020

  • The Morning News — June 20, 1914
  • St. Joseph News Press Gazette — April 24, 1917
  • The Fresno Morning Republican — May 2, 1917
  • Evening Star — May 6, 1917
  • The Des Moines Register — October 12, 1919
  • The Boston Globe — May 23, 1924
  • Iowa City Press Citizen — June 24, 1937
  • Hartford Courant — September 20, 1960
  • Latrobe Bulletin — October 8, 1960
  • Detroit Free Press — October 8, 1961
  • St. Louis Post Dispatch —May 8, 1962
  • The Journal Times — April 4, 1965
  • The Evening Sun — April 23, 1965
  • The Austin American — April 23, 1965
  • The Morning Call — May 5, 1965
  • Chicago Tribune — June 13, 1965
  • The Tampa Tribune — June 15, 1965
  • The Boston Globe — September 19, 1965
  • The Boston Globe — September 19, 1965
  • Daily News — May 6, 1966
  • The Miami News — October 4, 1967
  • The Daily Times News — March 27, 1974
  • The Palm Beach Post — May 12, 1974
  • The Palm Beach Post — May 12, 1974
  • The Palm Beach Post — May 12, 1974
  • Detroit Free Press — October 19, 1974
  • Detroit Free Press — October 19, 1974
  • The News and Observer — January 5, 1976
  • The Times Record — March 16, 1976
  • Wisconsin State Journal — March 25, 1976
  • Daily News — April 1, 1977
  • The Tampa Times — April 29, 1977
  • The Observer — February 19, 1978
  • The Oshkosh Northwestern — February 22, 1980
  • The Atlanta Constitution — December 5, 1982
  • The Atlanta Constitution — December 5, 1982
  • The Tampa Tribune — September 9, 1984
  • The South Bend Tribune — August 9, 1992
  • Star Tribune — March 21, 1993
  • The Berkshire Eagle — May 15, 1994
  • Chicago Tribune — May 20, 1994
  • The Messenger — May 21, 1994
  • St. Louis Post Dispatch — June 30, 1996
  • The Baltimore Sun — September 8, 1996
  • The Charlotte Observer — November 6, 1997
  • The Atlanta Constitution — November 9, 1997
  • Wisconsin State Journal — November 18, 1997
  • The Courier — July 17, 1998
  • Fort Worth Star Telegram — July 4, 1999
  • Fort Worth Star Telegram — July 4, 1999
  • Fort Worth Star Telegram — July 4, 1999
  • Fort Worth Star Telegram — July 4, 1999
  • Fort Worth Star Telegram — July 4, 1999
  • The Bismarck Tribune — April 17, 2004
  • The Californian — October 16, 2009
  • The Times — January 14, 2010
  • The Daily Spectrum — January 14, 2010
  • The Daily Spectrum — January 14, 2010
  • The Boston Globe — March 18, 2014
  • The Charlotte Observer — May 27, 2020
  • Before and After — August 22, 2020

-Images courtesy of Newspapers.com.

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