Jacqueline Kennedy Garden

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Spring in the Jacqueline Kennedy Garden. Pink tulips massed against the east colonnade of the White House (2007) KennedySpring.jpg
Spring in the Jacqueline Kennedy Garden. Pink tulips massed against the east colonnade of the White House (2007)
Summer in the Jacqueline Kennedy Garden - Magnolia and Littleleaf lindens underplanted with ageratum and boxwood - The white painted cast iron Rococo Revival garden bench from 1850 (2007) KennedyGarden.JPG
Summer in the Jacqueline Kennedy Garden - Magnolia and Littleleaf lindens underplanted with ageratum and boxwood - The white painted cast iron Rococo Revival garden bench from 1850 (2007)
Fall in the Jacqueline Kennedy Garden - brick paved walk along the east colonnade is bordered with bronze colored spoon chrysanthemum Starlet (2007) KennedyFall.jpg
Fall in the Jacqueline Kennedy Garden - brick paved walk along the east colonnade is bordered with bronze colored spoon chrysanthemum Starlet (2007)

The Jacqueline Kennedy Garden was located at the White House south of the East Colonnade. The garden balanced the Rose Garden on the west side of the White House. It is within the area involved in the demolition of the East Wing and preparations for construction of the White House State Ballroom.

Contents

History

Edith Roosevelt, who had established her "Colonial Garden" on the site of the present Rose Garden, oversaw a similar but less formal planting on the east side, the site of the present Jacqueline Kennedy Garden. The origins of the Garden's present form began in 1913, with First Lady Ellen Axson Wilson calling it the East Garden, which saw Mrs. Wilson's design featuring a modest central lily pond. This work on the Garden was completed after the first lady died in 1914, resulting in an area 36 by 19 meters (118 by 62 feet).

In the nearly half a century which followed, the grounds to the White House fell into disrepair. When the Kennedy administration came to office, the ill-kempt state of the gardens drew the focus of First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy, who worked with Rachel Lambert Mellon and Perry Wheeler on the redesign and replanting of the entire Rose and East Gardens.

By the time of President Kennedy's assassination in November 1963, the Rose Garden had been completed, while revitalization on the East Garden was still a work in progress. To further honor Jacqueline Kennedy's contributions to the White House and its grounds, her immediate successor, First Lady Lady Bird Johnson, renamed the East Garden as the "Jacqueline Kennedy Garden" during a ceremony on 22 April 1965.

It was within the area involved in the demolition of the East Wing and preparations for construction of a ballroom. [1] The garden was removed as part of the demolition for the ballroom, documented by satellite photographs from Planet Labs. [a] Architectural renderings and models show the space being present after construction is complete. [8]

Design and horticulture

Rachel Lambert Mellon created a space with a more defined central lawn, bordered by flower beds planted in a French style, but largely using American botanical specimens. Though more formal than the previous East Garden, the Jacqueline Kennedy Garden paid tribute to Beatrix Farrand's work in its use of a more organic structure, planting masses of the same plants in drifts, and use of foliage plants like ornamental grasses and caladiums.

The garden followed a layout established by Mellon. Each flower bed was planted with a series of Littleleaf lindens and Kennedy saucer magnolias bordered by low hedges of boxwood and American Holly. The outer edge of the flower bed facing the central lawn was edged with boxwood. Perennial flowering plants included delphinium, hollyhock, lavender, and roses.

Many seasonal flowers were interspersed to add nearly year round color. Spring blooming bulbs planted in the rose garden included jonquil, daffodil, fritillaria, grape hyacinth, tulips, chionodoxa and squill. Summer blooming annuals change yearly. In the fall chrysanthemum and flowering kale bring color until early winter.

Official and informal use

Like the Rose Garden, the Jacqueline Kennedy Garden was used for events. The president used the Jacqueline Kennedy Garden for awards ceremonies. Both Lady Bird Johnson and Pat Nixon favored use of the garden for parties and teas. First Lady Hillary Clinton exhibited contemporary sculpture in the garden.

Notes

  1. Attributed to multiple references: [2] [3] [4] [5] [6] [7]

References

  1. "Update from Zachary Levitt, Ashley Wu". 2025-10-23. Retrieved 2025-10-23.
  2. Clark, Stephen (2025-10-24). "Satellite shows what's really happening at the East Wing of the White House". Ars Technica. Retrieved 2025-10-25. the Jacqueline Kennedy Garden was razed this week, the result of which was also visible from space
  3. Charalambous, Peter; Inal, Kerem; Looft, Chris (2025-10-24). "At least 2 historic magnolia trees, Kennedy Garden appear to have been removed to make way for Trump's White House ballroom". ABC News. Retrieved 2025-10-25. leveled during the demolition, according to satellite images
  4. Farhi, Arden (2025-10-24). "Where is debris from the White House East Wing demolition being taken?". CBS News. Retrieved 2025-10-26. Kennedy's garden was removed amid the demolition, sources said
  5. Saunders, Angel (2025-10-23). "Jack Schlossberg Slams Trump for 'Pouring Concrete' on Grandmother Jackie Kennedy's Rose Garden as White House Demolition Escalates". People.com. Retrieved 2025-10-26. grandson of former first lady Jacqueline Kennedy weighed in on the president of the United States' decision to demolish… the namesake Jacqueline Kennedy Garden… Shortly before he spoke out, The New York Times reported that the Jacqueline Kennedy Garden… had been demolished
  6. Nath, Sanstuti (2025-10-24). "Trump Has Demolished White House's East Wing: See Before And After Pics". NDTV. Retrieved 2025-10-26. the first lady's garden, which is named after Jacqueline Kennedy. The garden has also been ripped
  7. Nerozzi, Diana (2025-10-24). "Trump's ballroom renovations uproot Jackie Kennedy garden". POLITICO. Retrieved 2025-10-26.
  8. "White House's entire East Wing to be demolished 'within days,' officials say". NBC News. 2025-10-22. Retrieved 2025-10-26. (photo caption) The model of the planned expansion of the White House is presented during a meeting in the Oval Office on Tuesday.

Further reading

Commons-logo.svg Media related to Jacqueline Kennedy Garden at Wikimedia Commons

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