Garden Production Beds & the White House Rose Garden

 In 1962, after the initial White House Rose Garden renovation, Mrs. Mellon designed a Tulip planting for the Kennedy administration which directly inspired this year’s planting. 

While many of the bulbs used in 1962 are still available, many are not and replacements were found to closely resemble characteristics such as height, color, and type of tulip. The strikingly dark and velvety color of ‘Queen of Night’ and ‘Black Parrot’ were originals to the 1962 planting. While the creamy, ivory, lily flowering ‘White Triumphator’ was also originally used. ‘Red Madonna’ and ‘Avignon’ were chosen due to their rich red color similarity to the original ‘Florence Nightingale.’ ‘Best Yellow’ and ‘La Courtine’ became replacements for ‘Niphetos’ for their solid yellow coloring and single flowering habit. The vibrant colors of ‘El Nino’ and brilliant ‘Orange Queen’ were both chosen to match ‘Oriental Splendor’ and ‘Orange Favorite’ which had the same flower type and color style that matched Mrs. Mellon’s original planting.

All images are public domain, retrieved from John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum archives.