The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1913-03-05
COST OF BLOOMS
FOR WHITE HOUSE
Total Of sl2,ooo Is Spent Every
Year for Flowers at Home
of President.
GROWN WITH GREAT CARE
Propagating Gardens and Green
houses Maintained by
Government.
GROWN WITH GREAT CARE


Washington, March ITO provide
the White House with cut-nowcrs
daily and the grounds surrounding
II with shrubs and blooming plants IN
season the United States pays out
every year $4,000. No other appro-
tive Mansion is expected to provo
as interesting to the next first lady
OF the land" for Mrs. Wilson is
lover OF fowers--cven moro SO, IL re-
port be true, than the wife Of any
President in recent administrations
From the Roosevelt regime Mrs.
Wilson will Inherit, as did Mrs Taft.
improved facilities for supplying the
White House with flowers for state oc-
casions and daily use. Originally the
White House Conservatives were To-
Gated on the west terrace. In 1902.
while former President Roosevelt was
in office, they were removed to the
site south of the Washington Monu-
ment. where they now form a part or
the propagating gardens.
In all. sixteen greenhouses are
maintained In the propagating gardens
Tor the exclusive needs of the lcxecu-
tive Mansion and grounds. Congress
approprIates annually $4,000 for their
maintenance and $4,000 for repairs.
Removal Made Necessary.
| The removal of the conservatories to
! their present location was a part OF
the general renovation OF the White
| House which took place during the
| Roosevelt administration. and cost the
| government approximately 100000.
| After the Executive Mansion had
| practically been made over, Mrs.
| Roosevelt became interested In the
/ question OF improving the White
1otx nd NJ f0n
! two large flower gardens were laid
| out. These are known as the colonial
| gardens and they not only received
! the personal attention of Mrs. Roose-
/ Welt. but have been a source Of pleas
| urc to Mrs. Taft.
| No new flower gardens have been
i laid out in the Executive Mansion
| grounds during the administration or
President Taft. and it is not likely
! that any will be added while the
| Wilson's are occupants Of the White
/ House. for expert landscape gardeners
! have declared that the present ar
/ rangement cannot be improved upon.
! But the next four years may wit
| ness the installation of facilities for
| increasing the productivity of the pro-
| pagating station, which supplies the
| nations mansion with flowers
| First Duty OF officials.
/ The first duty of the officials In
4 charge OF this station Is to see that
the White House is supplied daily
| with cut-nowers, and that the floral
decorations for the state occasions
are the best that Uncle Sam can pro-
! duce. Huge bouquets are placed daily
| in the rooms of the Executive Man
: sion, and in the Office known the
| Presidents workshop. Even the pres
idential barouche is not sighted.
Propagating Gardener Charles Hen
! lock and his assistants face their prin-
cipal task in preparing for the big
state occasions. The White House,
then is literally a bower of flowers
| color scheme and only one kind OF
! flower is used. For example at the
| last dispiomatic dinner, orchids COM
| posed the decorations. Roses are pop
| ular and even carnations have been
employed exclusively for making the
| executive mansion attractive for the
public functions
! In addition to providing cut flowers,
| the propagating station is called upon
| to furnish the plants and flowers in
| the colonial gardens. These plants
bloom from early spring until frost
time and form tho principal dccora-
! tons of the White House grounds
! They are south OF the east and west
terraces, and are surrounded by privet
/ hedges, five feet high. Rectangular
I'm shape, each garden covers a space
| 80 by 40 feet, and is traversed by
| little walks, which arc bordered by
box bushes six inches high. Enclosed
within the walks arc numerous and
variously shaped plots OF ground upon
| which are to be found in full bloom
practically all the flowers of the sea
| son.
| Flowers of Every Hue.
J ,Pansies. roses, peoples, dahlias--all
| the flowers that appear between early
| spring and late fall. in fact-grow
in the colonial gardens and are care
fully looked after by Gardener a. L
ollphant The gardens open to the
| south. tho other portions being en-
| tirely inclosed by the privet hedges
! One, of the beauty spots of the White
! roses an dclements cover the fence
! which separates the colonial gardens
! from the south grounds. Rambler
/ roses and clematis cover the tense
! and. when they are in bloom, the
| pleasing effect produced invariably In
! vites attention to this portion OF the
! grounds.
| Not only does the propagating sta
/ ton supply the floral needs OF the
| White House. but it furnishes public
| parks and reservations In Washing
ton with bedding plants. In addition
| Z,