The White House Rose Garden, an iconic national site, has undergone significant transformations over the years. Recent changes made by President Donald Trump, including a patio conversion, have highlighted its historical evolution.
Ellen Wilson and Jackie Kennedy’s Contributions
The garden was first established by Ellen Wilson, wife of President Woodrow Wilson, in 1913 with the help of landscape architect George Burnap. It replaced Edith Roosevelt’s Colonial Garden. Before the garden, greenhouses occupied the area.
This design remained largely unchanged until 1961. President John F. Kennedy and First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy enlisted horticulturist Rachel “Bunny” Mellon and landscape architect Perry Wheeler to redesign it. The aim was to create a functional outdoor room for press conferences, diplomatic meetings, and ceremonies, completed the following year.
Mellon’s design featured an expansive central lawn with magnolia trees at each corner. Roses, herbs, spring bulbs, seasonal annuals, and young Katherine crabapple trees lined the lawn’s borders.
Continuous Garden Evolution
In Mellon’s design, classic, muted tones were a hallmark. However, the crabapple trees blocked sunlight for roses as they grew large. In 2003, several trees were removed to improve light conditions. Over the years, perennials were added and replaced, dying roses were removed, and drainage issues led to frequent lawn replacements. Walkways were repaired in sections due to natural wear.
2020 Restoration Efforts
In 2020, First Lady Melania Trump sought to restore the garden to its original 1962 aesthetic. The project involved collaboration with Perry Guillot, Inc., Oehme van Sweden & Associates, the Committee for the Preservation of the White House, and the National Park Service.
Crabapple trees were relocated, and new pastel-colored roses were introduced. These included the “White House Rose,” “JFK Rose,” “Pope John Paul II,” and the “Peace Rose.” Infrastructure updates added electricity for media use and uniform limestone walkways met accessibility standards. NewGen boxwoods, resistant to blight, replaced older shrubs.
Transformation Under Trump
In 2025, President Trump further modified the garden by installing a white limestone patio instead of the grass. This space featured solar-powered lighting, tables, and umbrellas. Bronze statues of George Washington, Benjamin Franklin, and Alexander Hamilton were added.
The area, now coined the Rose Garden Club by Trump, continues to host events with blooming roses along its perimeter.
Jessica Damiano regularly contributes gardening columns to the Associated Press.
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