Gardens & Grounds
Featured Collection
White House in Bloom
The White House Grounds began as approximately 85 acres of land chosen by George Washington and were cultivated by garden-loving President Thomas Jefferson. These shifting grounds around the Executive Mansion have seen retaining walls, green houses, vegetable gardens, and beautiful flowers. Changes to the landscape came in long intervals and evolved to fit the era and the needs of the residents.
Educational Resource
The White House at Work
Ever since John and Abigail Adams moved into the President's House in 1800, hundreds of individuals have worked behind the scenes to help the White House fulfill its roles as a home, office, and museum. White House staff serve the many needs of the first family in a variety of occupations. They prepare family meals, serve elaborate State Dinners, maintain the
Educational Resource
The White House Grounds
The President's Park currently consists of approximately eighteen acres surrounding the White House and is used by the president, the first family, and—on special occasions—the public. These grounds are reputedly the oldest continually maintained ornamental landscape in the United States. Various changes have been made to the White House Grounds since the completion of the building in 1800, including the
Article
"A Beautiful Spot Capable of Every Improvement"
The history of the white house grounds begins nearly two centuries before the construction of the house itself. Sailing up the Potomac River in 1608, Captain John Smith and the members of his exploring party became the first non-Native Americans to lay eyes on the future site of the presidential mansion. Algonquin and Nacotchtankes people already called the area home, and
