Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1922-04-25
FIRST LADY OF
LAND BOASTS A
GARDEN OFOWN
By FREDERIC j. HAsKIN,

have been the especial care of the
wives of presidents ever since Mrs,
Roosevelt had them laid out, 1t Is
becoming a custom for each presl'
: denis wife to give full expression to
her taste in flowers and landscape
gardening in these plots.
} The gardens are the more person
al to the mistress of the White
House because the public is not al
lowed to enter them. The grounds
back Of the executive mansion are
thrown open to the public every
Saturday afternoon during the
summer, when the Marine band
gives a concert. People wander
freely ABOUT the presidents broad
lawn and park and sit on the grass
under the trees.
On Easter Monday, too, the
grounds are open, this time to the
children for the annual egg rolling
Forty men are put to work after
this celebration 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 the gardens,
close to the house and bound by
high hedges, are not open. They
would scarcely survive the inspec-
ton of a few thousand people in
an afternoon.
The gardens now are as Mrs.
Wilson left them. Mrs. Harding
has found time to put bird houses
around the White House grounds
and to plant number of trees
only short time ago she planted
a magnolia. But she has ordered
no important changes in the pri-
vate gardens as yet.
Just now, the gardens are be-
ginning to show signs of life. White
narcissuses, pansies, and pale tinted
flags are out, and a profusion of
buds promises wonderful array
of color in a few weeks.
Originally, :Irs. Roosevelt plan
ned the two plots as colonial gar
dens, and they were laid out WITT
curving walks and variously shaped
flower beds filled with roses and
hardy perennials.
The first Mrs. Wilson is remem-
bered as one of the most ardent
! flower lovers who ever lived in the
White House. When she was con-
suited as to changes in the gardens
she expressed desire to nave the
two plots different in character.
| She had always taken great in
terest in the grounds of her home,
she had skilled landscape garden
ers work on the plans for the gar
dens as she wished them to be.
Mrs. Wilson did not live to see
the rem odeled gardens completed.
However, up TO a short time before
her death she liked to sit among
the flowers.
The gardens now are as Mrs.
Wilson planned them. Both are
long, rather narrow plots of
ground, small only in comparison
| to the spaciousness of the White
| House lawns. The east garden Is
| laid out with a wide border of
| flowers around the edge inside
the tall hedge and a large plot
| of grass in the center, also bor-
dered with mowers. A pool in the
center of the grassy plot is the
feature of this picturesque re-
/ treat. In the summer, goldfish
/ swirl III Lllc pun anu pihiN
and white water lilies bloom on
the surface Of the water.
Formal Effects Secured.
The walk between the center
plot and the margin Of flowers is
cut in straight lines, with rather
formal effect. Old stone benches
and quaint chairs to match, that
have stood around the grounds
for years, are conveniently placed
for quiet tete-a-tetes.
A number of golf balls are
sometimes seen on these chairs
and it is said that the president
occasionally practices golf shots
bit in the privacy of the gar
den enclosure.
There are no shade trees in
the east garden. The only trees
are small evergreens artistically
placed. The landscape architect
who designed the plot for Mrs
Wilson planned to have tall Vir-
ginia cedars used. but the ex-
pense of obtaining them was toe
great and smaller trees were sub
stituted without serious change
in the desired effect.
The flowers of this garden are
such delicately colored blooms
as the Darwin tulip, large. pink
variety; white and pale purple
iris; and later, peonies, larkspur
pinks, candytufts, forget-me- nots
sweet william, and lavender. The
color scheme is soft. No gay red
or yellow blossoms are admitted to
this pastel group of flowers.
The west garden is laid out
along lines similar to those OF
the east plot. Here, however
roses are TIE only flowers fea-
tured. Spring bulbs are put In ia
brighten the enclosure before the
roses bloom. At present, there is
a thickly blooming border OF
white poets eye narcissuses. but
will be gone and red, pink and
pate yellow roses will begin to
bloom. A few Of the varieties
which adorn the White House
rose garden are pink Killarney.
pink radiants. yellow sunburst.
The attraction in this garden,
aside from the roses. is an arch at
| the far end. formed by the privet
of the hedge. English ivy on the
lattice beneath this arch forms a
soft background for small
statue. Here again economy is
noticeable in White House man.
agement. The plan called for a
marble statue, but plaster Of Paris
had to be submitted to fit the fund
available. The statue. graceful
flute boy. is now undergoing a
spring renovation before it is set
out for the garden season.
Between the garden hedge and
the house runs beautifully laid
out walk that is really a continual
ton of the rose garden. Eight
rose trees line the grass on either
side of the walk and a privet arch
forms the gateway at either end.
This is called the Presidents walk,
because 1t is a short outdoor route
from the executive offices to the
White House. Tn fine Wather II