Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1922-04-25
THE WHITE HOUSE GARDENS
BY Frederic ). Haskin

-
Washington. April 25.-Two formal
little gardens close TO tho south porfico
OF tho White House are known as tho
gardens Of the Presidents wife.
Tho First Lady OF tho Land is d-
ways consulted as 70 the gardening
plans for the entire White House
grounds, but these two gardens nave
bosu tho especial care of tho wives
Of Presidents ever since Mrs. Roose-
Welt had them laid out. II is becoming
a custom for each Presidents wife TO
give fun expression TO her taste In
flowers and landscape gardening In
these plots.
Tho gardens are the more personal
to tho mistress Of the White House
because tho public is not allowed 10
enter them. The grounds back OF the
Executive Mansion are thrown open
TO tho public every Saturday after
noon during the summer, when the
Marine Band gives q concert. People
wander freely about the Presidents
broad lawn and park and sit on the
grnss under tho trees.
| On Easter Monday, too. the grounds
are open. this time to the children for
tho annual egg rolling. Forty men
are put to work after this celebra-
ton is over. to clean the grass OF egg
shells, papers. mangled toy rabbits,
remnants OF lunch and other souvenirs
Of An exciting day.
From these occasions the public Is
pretty well acquainted with the White
House lawn. But tho gardens. close
TO the house and bound by high
hedges, are not open. They would
scarcely survive the inspection Of a
few thousand people in an afternoon
The gardens now are as Mrs. WI
son left them. Mrs. Harding has found
time to put bird houses around the
White House grounds and 10 plant q
number OF trees-only a short time
ago she planted a magnolia. But sh'
has ordered no important changes ir
the private gardens as yet.
First Signs Of Life.
Just now, the gardens are beginning
20 show signs OF life. White mar
oissi, pansies. and pale tinted flas
arc out, and r profusion OF buds prom
. Uses a wonderful array Of color in
few weeks.
Originally, Mrs. Roosevelt planne'
= the two plots as colonial gardens. ant
they were laid out with curving walk
= and variously shaped flower beds file
I with roses and hardy perennials.
I The first Mrs. Wilson is remembers
as one of the most ardent flower Low
! ers who ever lived in the White Hous'
T When she was consulted az TO change
e in the gardens she expressed a desir
TO have the two plots different !
:. character. She had always taken
= great interest in the grounds OF ne
@ home, and she had skilled landscs 2
o gardeners work on the plants for th
,, gardens as she wished them TO be.
y Mrs. Wilson did not live 20 see III
. remodeled gardens completed. How
q ever, up TO a short time before he
: death she liked 10 sit among the flow
ers.
The gardens now are as Mrs. WI
L son planned them Both are loni
rather narrow plots Of ground, sma
y only IN comparison TO tho spaciou,
ness Of tho White House lawns. TT
n east garden II laid out with a wild
border OF flowers around the edge II
IL side the tall hedge and a large pl'
81 OF grass in the center. also borders
with flowers. A pool in the center
the grassy plot Is the feature OF III
picturesque retreat. IN the summe
e goldfish swim in the pool and pir
and white water lilies bloom on q
10 surface OF the water.
IN Formal Effects Secured.
n The walk between the center pl
and the margin OF flowers cut
straight lines, with rather for1nar G
II feet. Old stone benches and quai
chairs to match, that have sto
around the grounds for years. are CO
II veniently placed for quiet tete-a-tet'
III A number OF golf balls are som
times seen on these chairs and 1t
said that the President occasional
II practices golf shots a bit in the pl
X vacy OF the garden enclosure.
II There are no shade trees in the ca
II garden. The only trees are small eve
II greens artistically placed. The Ian
scape architect who designed the pl
II for Mrs Wilson planned to have u
II