Trump intends to restore the space to more closely resemble the original design and formation of the Rose Garden, established by President John F. Kennedy, and implemented in 1962 by horticulturist and philanthropist Rachel “Bunny” Mellon. The renovation, which will include excavation, could take several weeks, according to a source familiar with the timeline, and the Rose Garden, during that time, will be out of service for use.
“The very act of planting a garden involves a lot of work and hope for a bright future,” the first lady said in a statement. “Preserving the history and beauty of the White House and its grounds is a testament to our nation’s commitment to caring for this landscape and our dedication to American ideals, protecting them for our children and their children for generations to come.”
The Rose Garden is Trump’s latest White House renovation project, which has already renovated several spaces, including the White House bowling alley, wallcoverings in the Red Room, furniture in the Blue Room, curtains on the Green Room and the carpet in the diplomatic reception room, to which he had added a border of flowers representing each of the 50 states. The renovations of the White House’s public rooms (the last four) are funded by private donations to the White House Historical Association, a nonprofit institution that serves to oversee the upkeep and upkeep of the Casa del Pueblo. The cost of the bowling alley renovation was covered by the Bowling Owners Association of America, according to the White House.
The Rose Garden renovation will be funded by private donations, according to two sources familiar with the project.
The White House had no comment.
“I encourage all those who choose to be negative (and) question my work at @WhiteHouse to take time and contribute something good (and) productive in their own communities,” he wrote on Twitter.
“I think the first lady should be aware that this certainly could look like another ‘let them eat cake’ moment,” says Kate Andersen Brower, a CNN contributor and author of “Team of Five: The Presidents Club in the Age of Trump. ” “I think it is important for her to point out that this is a restoration that has nothing to do with the Trump administration, but to make sure that the White House is a pristine and beautiful home for any President who occupies it. But, yes, the moment could not be worse since the country is being devastated by Covid and there is great economic and social turmoil. ”
Trump’s decision to make his mark in the Rose Garden and restore it to its original design plan was initially motivated by the need for general maintenance, as well as to avoid constant rotation of different plants, flowers and shrubs, according to one source. familiar with the discussions.
The National Park Service is responsible for the maintenance of all land on the 18 acres that make up the White House complex. There are approximately a dozen National Park Service employees assigned to care for the White House, as well as a superintendent of White House grounds, a position created in 2008 by the Executive Office of the President. The National Park System Advisory Board was included in the discussions, planning, and final decision on the Rose Garden renovation, the source says.
The history of the rose garden
First conceptualized as the Rose Garden in 1913 by Woodrow Wilson’s first wife, Ellen Wilson, the plantations were halfway through the design when Ellen died in 1914. The project was picked up by Wilson’s second wife, Edith, who continued to add rose plants. to the space formerly known as West Garden. But it was Kennedy who commissioned the creation of the iconic version of the Rose Garden that we know today as the most notable outdoor space possibly in all of American politics.
In 1961, Kennedy asked his personal friend, Bunny Mellon, to redesign the 125-foot-long and 60-foot-wide garden. Kennedy, with his wife, Jacqueline Kennedy, had just returned from a long European tour, where she marveled at the grandeur and beauty of the elaborate formal gardens adjacent to the official residences.
“The President had noted that the White House did not have a garden equal in quality or attractive to the gardens he had seen and entertained in Europe,” Mellon said in his personal account of the development of the Rose Garden, which she gave to the White House Historical Association in 1983. “He wanted to start, in the greatest haste, to redo the area near his office on the west end of the White House, known as the Rose Garden, in a useful and attractive area. ”
Mellon designed a garden filled with rose plants and other flowers, as well as blooming crab apple trees, placed in diamond-shaped hedge boxes. In addition to the famous roses, she added lilies and tulips, verbena and daisies, chrysanthemums, and geraniums, multiple species of vibrant, seasonal flowers to surround the wide swath of green grass in between. Mellon wanted the trees and flowers to literally “frame” the green of the lawn, which he made large enough to accommodate hundreds of guests. The Rose Garden has hosted numerous presidential events in subsequent decades, from ceremonies to announcements and celebrations. (Richard Nixon’s daughter Patricia married there in 1971.)
“Mellon said that JFK was truly the person responsible for the garden and that he never ceased to be interested in it. It was a reassuring influence outside the Oval Office for him and for all presidents since,” said Brower. “The Rose Garden has become a symbol of the American presidency as has the resolved desk in the Oval Office. The Rose Garden speeches are often important and historical statements.”
Speaking at a May 2019 reception for the White House Historical Association, Trump said: “Our family is grateful to live in this true symbol of our nation’s history, but we are even more honored to participate in the restoration and improvement of the sacredness of our country, benchmark. “
CNN’s Chandelis Duster contributed to this report.
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