Evening star., 1934-05-27


back of another day.
While yellow roses have been gen.
erously used for decorative purposes and|
enjoyment at the White House SinceI
Mrs. Roosevelt became the official|
hostess, there are some who might be
led to believe that this was her fa-l
vorite flower, but in a letter recently
received from the White House by the|
writer, we have her own statement
that the pansy is her favorite flower,
though she likes all kinds-roSeS,
orchids, carnations or whatever are I'M
bloom. She quite frequently wears
orchids. The grandchildren of the
President and Mrs. Roosevelt come in
for their share of the flowers and each
day little baskets of posies are placed
in their rooms. 1t has been learned that
President Roosevelt is very fond of roses
and carnations and has more than once
expressed his admiratio1 and apprecia-
ton of the beautiful floral effects
achieved by members of the White
House floral staff.
1t was during the Theodore Roosevelt
administration that the greenhouses
were moved from the executive grounds
to their present site in order to make
way for extensive alterations on the
White House proper, which included
east and west terraces. Gradually,
through the years, plants have multi
piled and new ones brought in until
now there is sufficient quantity to
meet the demands of even the largest
Of state functions, such as the diplo-
matte reception, considered from a
floral standpoint as one of the loveliest
Of the season. 1t Is interesting to know
that the diplomatic or any other big
state reception often calls for as many
as five and six truck loads of freshly
cut flowers and potted plants. Some
times there are as many as 1000 roses
used, to say nothing of the hundreds
of potted plants, such as ferns and
begonias.
In the blue ROOM where the Presi-
dent and First Lady receive at the
state receptions, the mantel is always
banked with white flowers, and a huge
screen made of palms and ferns serves
as an artistic background for the
President and Mrs. Roosevelt and also
divides the room into two sections or
compartments. After the guests have
greeted the President and First Lady
they continue on through the red room
and into the state dining room, where
refreshments are served. When there
is state dinner, if the silver service
is in use, there are silver vases and
silver bowls for holding the roses car
nations and other cut flowers, and If
the gold service is in use gold vases.
and gold bowls hold the floral table
decorations. ~-....-t. e. .-~. -. ~.
Perhaps the most attractive and dis
tinctive of all the flowers prepared by
the White House gardeners is the pan
of red poinsettias, said to have origi-
mated with one of the veteran gardeners
few years ago. These small, fiat pans
consist of five and six fine specimens
of poinsettiaS, maSsed with asparagus
fern. Around 200 of them are prepared
at Christmas, many sent out to members
Of the cabinet and close personal
friends of the President and First Lady.
Others are sent to hospitals and vet
Grams throughout the city, and still
others grace the White House table
during the Christmas season.
In May of each year the handsome
bay trees, which are an improvement
over the originals that came from
Holland many years ago, are sent UP to
the White House to adorn the east and
west terraces and replace the Winter
evergreens. Here these beautiful speci-