White House Rose Garden Undergoes Further Transformations in 2025

Washington D.C. - The historic White House Rose Garden, a landmark designed by former First Lady Jackie Kennedy in 1962, is currently undergoing significant alterations. For decades, the garden was renowned for its vibrant array of colorful flowers and crab apple trees, a design that was largely preserved by successive administrations. In 2020, then-First Lady Melania Trump initiated a renovation of the garden, which involved replacing some of the older plantings with a more muted color palette and removing the crab apple trees. This change sparked public discussion regarding the preservation of historical garden designs. As of 2025, further modifications are underway. Recent observations indicate that sections of the garden's lawn are being replaced with gravel to create additional podium space. This ongoing work marks another chapter in the evolution of this iconic presidential landscape.

Green Matters

Why Did Donald Trump Destroy the Storied White House Rose Garden?

Why is Trump paving the Rose Garden? Behind Trump's decision to pave over the historic garden first established by Ellen Wilson in 1913.