white house garden visit

White House Opens Its Gardens This Weekend; Here's Where & When to Get Free Tix

Spring garden tours at the white house are set for saturday, april 1 and sunday, april 2, by laura wortman • published march 31, 2023 • updated on march 31, 2023 at 4:56 pm.

The White House is opening its gardens and South Grounds to the public for its twice-annual garden tour this Saturday and Sunday .

Guests are invited to walk around the grounds and enjoy the gardens, including the Rose Garden, White House Kitchen Garden, Jacqueline Kennedy Garden and the South Lawn, from 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. on either day.

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The event is free and open to the public, but timed tickets are required for all attendees, including children.

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The National Park Service will distribute same-day tickets starting at 8:30 a.m. this Saturday and Sunday until they run out. Ticket distribution will be at a tent outside the White House Visitor Center at 1450 Pennsylvania Ave. NW.

The entry point for all guests is located on 15th Street NW, between E Street NW and Constitution Avenue. Before you go, take a look at the list of items you can't bring to the White House grounds (including bags or backpacks larger than 18"x13"x7").

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If you can't make it, or if you miss out on tickets, your next chance will be in the fall. White House Garden Tours are generally available one weekend each in spring and fall, typically in April and October, the NPS says.

The White House will also host members of the public for its Easter Egg Roll on April 10 , but the ticket lottery for that event has already closed.

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How Can I Tour the White House in Washington, DC?

Everything you need to know about planning a visit to the country’s most famous house., requesting a white house tour.

Touring the White House requires some advance planning. Public tour requests must be made through your member of Congress ( find your member of Congress and contact information ) and submitted up to three months in advance and no less than 21 days prior to your visit. If you're an international visitor and wish to schedule a tour, please contact your home country’s embassy in Washington, DC.

You are encouraged to submit your tour request as early as possible as tours fill up quickly and a limited number of spaces are available. Tours are filled on a first-come, first-served basis. All White House tours are free. Please note tours are subject to last-minute cancellations based on the official White House schedule.

Public, self-guided tours are 45 minutes and are run between 8 a.m. and 12:30 p.m., Tuesdays through Saturdays unless otherwise noted. For complete details on White House tours, visit the White House tours and events page or call the White House Visitors Office 24-hour information line at (202) 456-7041. The White House is located at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW.

Touring the White House - Washington, DC

What to expect on a White House tour

If there is a tour slot available during your visit to DC, you will be given a specific date and time to arrive and be instructed on where to check in. All guests over 18 years old will be required to present a valid, government-issued photo ID upon check-in. Foreign nationals must present their passport. Please bring as little as possible (avoid backpacks, food, large handbags, bottled water, etc.). Note that smartphones and compact cameras with a lens no longer than 3 inches are permitted on the public tour route, but video recording devices and flash photography are not allowed inside the White House. Visitors will go through security prior to entering the White House. There are no restrooms available at the White House. The closest restroom is located at the Ellipse Visitor Pavilion nearby.

Public tours of the White House include the public rooms in the East Wing, which includes the Blue Room, Red Room and Green Room; the State Dining Room; the China Room; and a view of the White House Rose Garden. Secret Service members are stationed in each room and are available to answer questions about the history and architecture of each room.

You can also visit the White House Visitor Center   before or after your tour.

Stephen Melkisethian

How to get to the White House

The closest Metro stations to the White House are Federal Triangle (Blue and Orange lines), Metro Center (Blue, Orange and Red lines) and McPherson Square (Blue and Orange lines). Please note there is NO PARKING near the White House. Public transportation is strongly encouraged.

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How to tour the White House Garden

Another opportunity to visit the White House is to attend either its fall or spring garden tour. Check whitehouse.gov in early October and April. The announcement of the garden tours is usually made within a week or two of when they take place. Garden tours generally run for two consecutive days. They may be canceled due to poor weather. A ticket is required for all attendees (including small children). Usually, tickets are distributed by the National Park Service at the Ellipse Visitor Pavilion on 15th and E streets NW on each tour day beginning at 9 a.m. Review the announcement for specific details.

Will I still be able to see the White House without going on a tour?

While visitors are not allowed entry to the White House without requesting a tour through your congressional representative, you will still be able to see the White House from Pennsylvania Avenue NW at Lafayette Square and view the White House and the South Lawn from the Ellipse. Please note that a new fence is currently under construction at the White House, as the current 6-foot fence is being replaced by a stronger, wider fence that will be 13 feet.

Where can I store my belongings during the tour?

It is important to note that security at the White House is extremely high. If your hotel is nearby, we suggest leaving your belongings in your room during the tour. If this is not possible, there are a few other options. You can designate one member of your tour group to hold everyone’s belongings. That person can take the self-guided tour once his or her group has finished the tour.

If you're a ticketed Amtrak customer, you may be able to check luggage in advance at  Union Station . These are located near Gate A. Lockers are available from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily. A photo ID is required and lockers must be paid for via cash or credit in advance. Rates are $3-$6 per hour per bag depending on the size of your bag. For questions on bag storage, please call 202-906-3000.

Catch up on White House history with the free podcas t The 1600 Sessions and enhance your trip with the  White House Experience app  from the White House Historical Association. The app offers three tour experiences, including a virtual tour of the White House (with rooms you normally don't see on the tour), a neighborhood walking tour and a room-by-room guide for visitors on an in-person tour of the White House.

Now that you have read up on the White House, explore DC’s other awesome  monuments and memorials .

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How to Tour the White House Gardens and Grounds

Since at least 2009, the public has been invited to see the White House grounds one weekend in the spring and another in mid-October. The self-guided tours include exhibits about iconic events on the White House grounds over the years and include entertainment by military bands.

White House Kitchen Gardener-in-Charge Jim Adams is on hand to answer visitor questions.

Clockwise from upper left: presidential helicopter on South Lawn, Caroline Kennedy on pony following her dad into the West Wing, the “Beer Summit”, and an accidental biplane landing.

Architectural details – note the roses.

In addition to reminders of White House history, visitors get to see the White House up close and the views regularly enjoyed by its inhabitants.

View from the South side of the White House

How To Find Out 

The White House doesn’t announce the dates in advance or promote the opportunity beyond the White House’s own website, so here’s how to find out the date in time. For the spring event, start checking in early April by Googling “White House Spring Garden Tour” and the year. The fall event has been in early October in recent years, so in mid-September start checking for the announcement by googlng “White House Fall Garden Tour” and the year.

Before You Go

There’s NO need for advance tickets and NO need to contact your congressperson. It’s easy – JUST GO. Free, timed tickets are distributed at the Ellipse Visitor Pavilion located at 15th and E Streets on tour days beginning at 9:00 a.m., one per person, on a first-come, first-served basis. To avoid lines, it’s best to arrive at opening time.

And DO read the update we’ll send you in the Alert. Like  this one , it’ll be loaded with helpful details.

Images above are from a visit in October of 2010.

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Rubenstein Center Scholarship

The White House Garden Tours

A Legacy of First Lady Patricia Nixon

• Bob Bostock Curator of the "People Were Her Project" exhibit at the Richard M. Nixon Presidential Library

This photograph is of the South Portico as seen from the lit fountain on the South Lawn of the White House. White House photographer Karl Schumacher took this photo on the evening of December 1, 1970, during the administration of Richard M. Nixon.

Show Me More

When the White House gates open at 10:00 am on Saturday, April 13th, thousands of people will stream through for the start of the 2019 White House Spring Garden Tour. Few of them will know that this special tour – one of only two weekends each year that the grounds of the President’s House are open to the general public – is part of the legacy of First Lady Patricia Nixon.

During her service as First Lady (1969-74), Mrs. Nixon undertook numerous initiatives to make the White House more accessible to visitors from across the country and around the world. Much of her attention was focused on the interior of the mansion itself – increasing its collection of historic furnishings , making it handicapped accessible, and developing special tours for blind and deaf tourists, among others.

But Pat Nixon didn’t limit her efforts to the interior of the White House. An avid gardener, she was also interested in making the White House’s historic gardens and grounds more accessible to the public.

First Lady Patricia Nixon leads Mayor-Commissioner of Washington, D.C. Walter Washington and a group of schoolchildren through the Jacqueline Kennedy Garden on April 14, 1973.

Her focus started with making it easier for the White House to be visible after dark. Unlike the Jefferson and Lincoln Memorials, the Washington Monument, and other landmarks in the nation’s capital, the White House had never been illuminated at night. First Lady Patricia Nixon decided to change that.

She worked closely with the National Park Service, which is responsible for the White House Grounds, to develop the plan for appropriate exterior lighting. The cost of installing the lighting fixtures was covered by private funds remaining from those raised for the 1969 Presidential inaugural festivities. As a result of her vision, the people’s house has been illuminated every night since Mrs. Nixon ceremoniously turned on the lights on November 25, 1970.

Mrs. Nixon also began the practice of keeping the American flag flying over the White House 24 hours a day, every day. Previously, the flag was brought down every evening at sunset and raised again at sunrise the next day. It took a Presidential Proclamation to authorize the change, which President Nixon issued at Mrs. Nixon’s urging, on September 4, 1970. 1

First Lady Patricia Nixon leads Mayor-Commissioner of Washington, D.C. Walter Washington and a group of schoolchildren along the South Drive on April 14, 1973. The students were winners of a poster contest sponsored by the Society for a More Beautiful Capital, an organization founded by Mary Lasker and First Lady "Lady Bird" Johnson in 1964.

Mrs. Nixon next turned her attention to the White House Grounds themselves. Since 1878, the South Lawn had been opened nearly every year to young children and their families for the annual Easter Egg Roll . And throughout much of the 19th century and in the early part of the 20th century, people could stroll the grounds unescorted. Never before, however, had the grounds been opened for an informative tour that would, in Mrs. Nixon’s words, allow visitors to “share with us their present beauty and past history.” 2

Mrs. Nixon planted the seeds for the first Garden Tour in early 1972. Michael J. Farrell, who headed the White House Visitors Office, outlined Mrs. Nixon’s vision for the first Garden Tour in a brief memo. The tour would include the Rose Garden, much of the South Grounds, and the Jacqueline Kennedy Garden. Visitors would receive a brochure that provided an overview of the grounds, and a military band would play during the tour.

The scope of the tour expanded during the planning process. Small groups of visitors would be allowed to walk through the Children’s Garden, gifted by the President Lyndon B. Johnson and First Lady Lady Bird Johnson shortly before they left Washington in January 1969, and the Ground Floor corridor and the rooms on the State Floor of the White House would also be open.

First Lady Patricia Nixon points out and explains photograph displays along the South Drive on April 14, 1973.

Considerable energy went into making the first Garden Tour a success. Under Mrs. Nixon’s direction, the Visitors Office coordinated the effort, involving many other White House offices. The photography office produced oversized photos of various events that took place on the grounds. The White House carpenters shop built the easels on which the photographs and signs highlighting special points of interest (such as commemorative trees) were placed. The Social Secretary’s office arranged for music. And Irvin Williams (who served as head gardener at the White House from 1962-2008) and Bill Ruback of the National Park Service would be on hand during the tour to answer visitors’ questions.

By the time the Garden Tour kicked-off, more than fifty different people were involved in planning and carrying out this first-ever Garden Tour. To show her appreciation for their effort, Mrs. Nixon personally inscribed and signed copies of the brochure for each person involved in creating this new White House event.

When the first day of the tour arrived, the sky was clear and sunny and the temperatures were cool – perfect weather for enjoying the White House gardens and grounds. Mrs. Nixon kicked off the tour, leading the mayor-commissioner of Washington, D.C., Walter Washington, and a group of local schoolchildren through the grounds. Among the students was, Duane Bolton, the first-place winner of a poster contest sponsored by the Society for a More Beautiful National Capital. Two families who were waiting in line were also invited to join the First Lady’s tour.

Duane Bolton, first-place winner of the poster contest sponsored by the Society for a More Beautiful Capital, presents his poster to First Lady Patricia Nixon and President Richard Nixon on April 14, 1973.

Starting in the Jacqueline Kennedy Garden, First Lady Patricia Nixon escorted her group around the grounds. As they walked, she pointed out such historic elements of the landscape as the Jefferson Mounds, which our third president is said to have created to provide visual interest to the otherwise flat lawn, various trees planted by presidents ranging from an American Elm planted by the sixth president, John Quincy Adams , to a Giant Sequoia planted by California native, President Richard Nixon , and the colorful spring flowers blooming around the fountain.

After walking along the South Drive, the group entered the Rose Garden, where they were joined by President Nixon. As they entered the Rose Garden, they passed by the towering Southern Magnolia. According to legend, it was planted by President Andrew Jackson in 1829 as a tribute to his late wife, who died shortly before Jackson became president.

By the time the first White House Garden Tour concluded the next day, nearly 11,500 people had helped launch a tradition that continues to this day. In the 46 years since, as many as one million people have walked the grounds during the spring and fall White House Garden Tours. And over the years, the White House Grounds have continued to evolve.

President Richard Nixon speaks with Duane Bolton near the Rose Garden during First Lady Patricia Nixon's White House gardens tour on April 14, 1973.

The American Elm planted by John Quincy Adams in 1826 finally succumbed to old age. In 1991, it was replaced by a seedling raised from that tree, planted by First Lady Barbara Bush . In 2009, F irst Lady Michelle Obama planted the White House Kitchen Garden to provide “home-grown” fresh, organic vegetables for the first family. In late 2017, the Jackson Magnolia was severely cut back as its branches grew so weak they proved to be a safety hazard. First Lady Melania Trump made sure, however, that wood removed was saved and that seedlings were propagated that could, one day, replace the ancient tree. And every president since the first Garden Tour has added at least one new tree to the White House Grounds.

One thing hasn’t changed, however. The tradition of opening the White House gardens and grounds to the public, started by First Lady Patricia Nixon in 1973, continues to delight visitors. Thanks to her vision, as visitors amble through the White House grounds, they are following in the footsteps of every president and first lady since President John Adams and First Lady Abigail Adams became the first residents of the White House in November 1800.

To learn more about the White House grounds, see The White House Garden by William Seale, published by the White House Historical Association. Memoranda about the planning for the Garden Tour are in the collections of the Richard Nixon Presidential Museum and Library of the National Archives, Yorba Linda, California.

First Lady Patricia Nixon and President Richard Nixon walk through the Rose Garden with schoolchildren on April 14, 1973.

This was originally published on April 9, 2019

Footnotes & Resources

• https://www.presidency.ucsb.ed...
• "White House Gardens and Grounds” brochure, Welcoming letter from Patricia Nixon, April 1973.

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An inside look at the white house garden tour.

The White House Garden Tour is a rare opportunity to glimpse into the stomping grounds of the President of the United States. Open to the public a few times a year each fall and spring, tickets are free from the National Park Service, but they are handed out early and high in demand. A fascinating experience and a coveted DC opportunity, here's an inside look at the South Lawn.

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White House opens private gardens to the public for Mother’s Day weekend

Thomas Robertson | [email protected]

May 9, 2024, 10:37 AM

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The White House will continue its annual tradition of opening its private gardens and South Grounds to the public, but this spring there’s a special twist — it’s happening Mother’s Day weekend.

Tours are available to the public from 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Saturday and Sunday.

While the tours are free, visitors must have daily, timed tickets, which will be handed out at a tent stationed outside the White House Visitor Center starting at 8:30 a.m. on both tour days.

Members of the media will get the first look at the gardens on Friday.

Visitors will have the opportunity to view the Jacqueline Kennedy Garden, Rose Garden, White House Kitchen Garden and South Lawn of the White House. The White House warns guests that bags, backpacks, purses and a lengthy list of other items are not allowed on White House grounds.

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Thomas Robertson is an Associate Producer and Web Writer/Editor at WTOP. After graduating in 2019 from James Madison University, Thomas moved away from Virginia for the first time in his life to cover the local government beat for a small daily newspaper in Zanesville, Ohio.

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Reserve Your Spot with Confidence! Full Refunds with 24 Hrs Notice. Reschedule at any point, even after tour, if space allows!

White House Garden Tour

This post explains how to obtain timed tickets to the White Garden Tours, which take place 2 times every year.

While you can request to tour the White House any time of year, only twice a year are the White House Gardens open to the public.

You can stroll through the Jacqueline Kennedy Garden, the Rose Garden, the White House Kitchen Garden and South Lawn of the White House.

Related Posts:

• How to Tour the White House
• White House Easter Egg Roll
• Get Tickets for the Washington Monument

Below, is a short video describing the most famous of all the gardens at the White House - the Rose Garden.  

This garden is adjacent to the Oval Office and is the location where the President of the United States will often announce new Cabinet or Supreme Court nominees or new legislation that he has proposed.

How to Obtain Tickets for the White House Garden Tours

The White House Spring Garden Tour Dates for 2024 are May 11 and May 12, 2024.

Open to guests are the Jacqueline Kennedy Garden, Rose Garden and the White House Kitchen Garden and the South Lawn of the White House Grounds.

Unlike the White House Easter Egg Roll , there is no lottery for this event. If you want to tour the White House Gardens, free-timed tickets are distributed at the White House Visitor Center each tour day at 8:30am. 

Federal Triangle (Orange, Blue and Silver lines) is the closest Metro station to the ticket pavilion.  It's approximately a 9 min walk from the station.  You can also easily walk from Metro Center (Red, Orange, Blue and Silver lines). Click here for directions to the pavilion from anywhere in the DC area.

Tickets are distributed at 830 am on a first-come, first-served basis. Tickets are distributed in 30 min intervals.  If you have a specific time you need to tour or want to get in right away, we recommend getting there early.

Even if you're there at 830 am, you might get a ticket for 2 pm that afternoon.  

Like most attractions in Washington DC, the earlier you go, the less crowded it is likely to be.  

There is a limit of one ticket per person so if you want to go with your whole family, they all need to wait in line.  

You must go through a security screening before entering on the White House lawn.

Please note the following items are not allowed on the White House grounds:

• Tablets, iPads, Tripods, Monopods, or Selfie Sticks
• Video Recorders
• All Bags, including Purses, Backpacks, or Suitcases
• Animals other than Service/ Guide Dogs
• Bicycles, Folding Chairs, Umbrellas with metal tips, Balloons, Coolers, Glass, Thermal or Metal Containers
• Signs or Flags of Any Kind
• Any Pointed Object(s), Including Pocket Knives
• Diaper Bags
• Food, Liquids, Aerosols, Tobacco Products, Lighters
• Firearms, Ammunition, Fireworks, Laser Pointers, Stun Guns/Tasers, Mace/Pepper Spray, Toy Weapons or Knives of Any Kind
• Any Other Items Determined to be Potential Safety Hazards

You may bring strollers, wheelchairs, cameras and umbrellas without metal tips.

For those not staying downtown, ask your hotel concierge or inn manager if he or she knows a concierge at a downtown hotel, where you could leave your purses and travel bags.

Jacqueline Kennedy Garden

The Jacqueline Kennedy Garden has been a part of the White House landscape for some time before JFK's presidency but had been all but forgotten. Jackie Kennedy had helped with the redesign and the garden had been planted by the time of JFK's assassination.

The rose garden had been replanted but the East Garden was still in progress. This East Garden was renamed in her honor.

In the current garden, you will find Littleleaf lindens and Kennedy saucer magnolias bordered by low hedges of boxwood and American Holly. Perennial flowering plants include delphinium, hollyhock, lavender, and roses.

Spring blooming bulbs planted in the rose garden include jonquil, daffodil, fritillaria, grape hyacinth, tulips, chionodoxa and squill. Summer blooming annuals change yearly. In the fall chrysanthemum and flowering kale bring color until early winter.

Watch the video below for a glimpse inside the White House Vegetable Garden

White House Vegetable Garden 

There has been a vegetable garden on the White House grounds since 1800 but the current first lady, Michelle Obama, is probably the more well-known for hers.

Eleanor Roosevelt had a victory garden during WWII and Hillary Clinton added a garden to the roof of the White House, but Mrs. Obama created the largest vegetable garden in 2009. It came as part of her efforts for a healthier America and the garden provides fresh vegetables and herbs to the First Family, White House guests and also food banks and soup kitchens.

You can see the vegetable garden from E Street on the Southside of the White House but if you're traveling with a student or community group, you can request a tour.

How to tour the White House Vegetable Gardens?

The White House will arrange a free tour for groups of 25 or less who request it online on their website. The tour will visit the garden and the beehive and if you're lucky, also the White House interior. Tours are subject to availability but often occur on weekday mornings.

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White House Garden Tour - White House

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White House Garden Tour

We had booked our “White House Tour” months ahead of time and ended up getting the Garden tour since they were not having regular tours during the garden tour times. We got to the White House 45 minutes before our scheduled time. There were people outside of the gates just giving tickets away. I was pretty frustrated because I was so looking forward to a White House Tour and ended up getting the garden tour instead and they made this huge deal about how it only happens twice a year. Well they were practically trying to shove tickets in your hands outside of the White House. I know it is silly of me but I was just a little frustrated. The tour itself was kind of silly. They tell you on the ticket ahead of time that you can not bring bags, purses, backpacks, this that and everything else. Even on the tickets they were handing out it specifically states No Bags, Backpacks etc. But they actually let you bring them in. They just search them. Annoyance number 2 for the day. I didn’t get to bring my purse all day because of that and if you don’t follow instructions then they still let you in. Argh. So you start walking in and there were all of these signs with pictures of presidents and first families planting trees, gardens, walking on the grass, giving speeches, all sorts of stuff. There were SO many people though it was hard to read anything and then when you took a picture one of the people would say “Oh don’t take pictures here, there is a better spot up ahead. Try not to stop and take pictures because it will bottle neck and cause traffic to stop.” So you keep walking and hope to get a better picture. The back of the White House is basically this big round walk way and they herd you through it and keep saying “Better picture opportunities later, don’t stop here!” and really, they keep saying that everywhere so there was no good opportunity so we just took pictures and ignored the people because at the very end they said the same thing “You should have already got pictures and now you are getting in the way so don’t take pictures”. Maybe not that mean, but pretty much. Overall it was nice to get close to the white house but it wasn’t really worth it. Too many people and craziness. I didn’t even realize it until we left but no one ever checked our ticket. We ended up getting in 45 minutes before our scheduled time and left by about 9:45. Without even presenting our tickets... pretty funny. Also, the next day when we were walking down near the Smithsonians and the National Archives there were two groups of people we ran into trying to hand us tickets.

Once I learned I was going to be in D.C. for business I put a request in to visit the White House. (All White House visits must be arranged by your local Congress man months in advance... go to their website for a request form. You can not just walk in off the street) The White house self guided tour was a bit dissapointing. Sure it was a once in a lifetime experience to be inside the Whitehouse, but the tour only let you see about 10 rooms, and none of them real interesting. The furniture is old, and the oil paintings are great. But that is about it. You don't get to really see anything that is "cool".

Like everyone has been saying, please get you reservations at least 3 months before your visit. We contacted our Senator to help with what we needed to do. He also got us a tour of the capital. The White House is a once in a lifetime experence to see. Just knowing that you are walking in the footsteps of some of our greatest leaders is very moving.

It's hard to get a tour of the White House these days, but if you can, it is more than worth it. The tour office even knows how many windows are in the White House. (It seems to me the number is about 147...) This is our history; this is where our President lives; everyone should try to go who comes to DC.

First of all, make sure to make reservations months in advanced so you are able to tour the inside of the White House. The tours are only offered in the morning, so there will be rush hour traffic and lack of parking spaces. (We parked at a nearby hotel valet parking service). Only bring your keys and cellphone since nothing else it allowed. The tour last about 30 minutes and you are pretty much on your own but the secret servicemen offer a lot of information on the rooms and artifacts. I could not believe how nice they were. After the tour, you are able to take pictures outside the White House with your cell phone.

Not everyone can say they have been in the White House, so the tour that the public can take can help you with that. While you only see a few rooms, it is still cool to say that you have been in the White House. The tour is self-guided and lasts about 30 minutes. You must make reservations ahead of time!

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Need beauty? These are 7 of the most gorgeous gardens in the D.C. area.

Surround yourself with roses, azaleas and historic landscapes at these nearby gardens.

Washington has no shortage of places to surround yourself with nature: the plants growing on mountains and glens at the National Arboretum ; the water lilies and lotuses at Kenilworth Aquatic Gardens ; the meadows of Rock Creek Park .

In the midst of spring, with summer’s heat on the horizon, our thoughts turn to other landscapes: carefully tended gardens that educate while they delight with colors and scents, and parks where visitors wander from a themed Korean garden to a display of native plants, past ponds where blue herons hide. But there are more reasons to visit than pretty displays: Put your feet in the grass, and your nose in a flower. Feel the warmth of the sun on your face as you read a book. This selection of local gardens has much to offer, whether on a day trip or for a quick mental health break after work.

Important reminders: First, gardens serve as popular wedding venues over the warm-weather months, so check venue websites and social media before making plans to visit, especially on weekends. Also, picnics are forbidden at some gardens, including at private locations like Dumbarton Oaks and county-run facilities such as Brookside Gardens. Make sure eating and drinking are allowed before packing snacks. Finally, while it’s generally okay to take photos of yourself or your friends with your phone at gardens, most locations require permits for professional photo shoots — basically, if you’re bringing a photographer to take photos for your engagement, senior portrait or quinceañera, or creating content that requires another person to take photos or video of you. When in doubt, ask.

And, most importantly, enjoy!

Bon Air Memorial Rose Garden

Arlington is filled with tributes to veterans: the somber monuments at Arlington National Cemetery, the Marine Corps War Memorial, the locally focused Clarendon War Memorial. But the most colorful of all is found in Bon Air Park along Wilson Boulevard. The Bon Air Memorial Rose Garden, which opened in 1951 and moved to Bon Air Park in 1964, was created by Arlington resident Nellie Broyhill to honor “our valiant and courageous men and women who bore the colors of their country in the conflict of World War II.” More than 120 varieties of roses grow in a compact, neatly ordered garden located between the tennis courts and the playground — think of it as the best example of how beautiful your neighborhood park could be.

Star garden : The main attraction is the rose garden, laid out in a linear north-south fashion with a flagpole and memorial plaque in a circular plaza at the center. Everywhere you look, there are roses: delicate small white flowers and larger, Barbie-pink blooms atop arches that are perfect for a photo op. Reddish-pink roses in the beds and on the walls of bushes along the borders. Ruby red and blushing pink roses dangling down from the trellises along the main avenue. Sure, there are other plants, such as the delightful purple puffballs of alliums, but roses are the draw. There are frustratingly few labels, however, telling visitors what kind of rose they’re looking at.

On a recent Friday afternoon, the crowds reading in the park or wandering through in workout attire quickly gave way to crowds posing in prom attire and quinceañera dresses, or squeezing multiple generations of the family under an arch, waiting in turn at each of the features. It’s one of the more colorful, accessible backdrops around.

What not to overlook : Because the rose garden is so small — less than the length of a football field, measured with Google Maps — there’s little chance you will miss anything here. If you have time, wander around the park, which also features demonstration gardens tended by the Master Gardeners of Northern Virginia. Visit the Sunny Garden, just north of the Rose Garden, to see shrubs and perennials that flourish seasonally, or the Shade Garden, located amid trees farther into the park, which boasts a wide variety of native plants.

Best bench : The benches framed by roses around the flagpole and at the north end of the garden are frequently in demand for group photos. You’ll be disturbed less often if you snag one of the wooden benches under the trellis, where the roses are still barely over your head.

Essential info : The park is open daily from sunrise to sunset. 850 N. Lexington St., Arlington. arlingtonva.us/parks . Free admission.

Brookside Gardens

The sprawling 50-acre Brookside Gardens are only three bus stops from the Glenmont Metro station, but they feel much farther from Washington. A wander through the park covers a variety of environments — a lakefront Japanese Teahouse, formal gardens, a leafy forest of azaleas, a reconfigured rose garden, butterfly habitats and a tropical conservatory. Kids can play in a Maryland-themed area with gardens, a boat and a tot-size farmhouse.

Star gardens : The first time a visitor walks into the Fragrance Garden, they’re likely to stop and sniff. A wave of scents comes from the plants here: tulips, peonies, lavender, abelia and other plants selected for their delightful perfume. It’s fun to go from plant to plant to figure out what, exactly, you’re smelling, and that interaction is by design: A marker explains that this garden was originally developed for blind visitors.

What not to overlook : The Rose Garden received a revamp this spring, with more than 200 new roses amid beds with 800 different perennials and flowering grasses, as well as a new irrigation system to keep the plants blooming longer into the year. (Don’t worry — the benches under the wisteria arbors are still there.) Head around the corner to the formal gardens, each with its own personality: the cool blue, yellow and white flowers and ornamental grasses surrounding a pool in the Perennial Garden, leading to the more structured clipped hedges of the Yew Garden, and finally the searing scarlet colors of the Japanese maples in the Maple Terrace.

Best bench : The benches in the formal gardens offer a mix of shade, birdsong and the buzz of insects — as mentioned earlier, the benches in the Rose Garden offer more shade than those in the Yew or Perennial gardens. Those seeking contemplation, and a view over an undulating green lawn, should head for the benches near the Reflection Terrace, which holds a memorial for the victims of the 2002 D.C. sniper attacks, and the lake by the Japanese Teahouse.

Events and tours : There are regular programs ranging from guided garden tours to yoga and tai chi classes. On May 31, the park hosts “ Ready, Set, Go ,” an evening nature-themed scavenger hunt for adults. A free “ Pride in the Park ” comedy show takes place on the lawn next to the visitor center on June 6, with food trucks and a hard cider garden. Montgomery Parks’ Summer Twilight Concert Series returns to Brookside Gardens every Tuesday in June — the rare occasion when picnics are allowed. The series begins with the Latin rock band Ocho de Bastos on June 4. Monthly plant clinics with master gardeners offer free office hours in the visitor center from July through November.

Essential info : Outdoor gardens open daily from sunrise to sunset; visitor center open daily from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. 1800 Glenallan Ave., Wheaton. montgomeryparks.org . Free admission.

Dumbarton Oaks Gardens

Dumbarton Oaks’ surging popularity is an example of how historic gardens can attract completely different audiences. Amateur and professional gardeners are drawn to the breathtaking 16 acres of terraced and natural gardens, designed by Beatrix Farrand, the only woman among the founders of the American Society of Landscape Architects, beginning in the 1920s. In recent years, however, a new generation of social media influencers have discovered that the rose garden, wisteria-covered arbors and shifting displays of color make for beautiful photo opportunities — so much so that you sometimes have to wait to see certain plants up close because there’s a line of phone-toting visitors in front of them. Still, there’s enough to see that if you encounter crowds, you can wander off, find yourself alone in a different area and go back.

Star garden: Before heading off into the gardens and lawns, pause for a moment in the Green Garden, the open entertaining space behind the Orangery. From here, the sweeping vista shows the brilliant design scheme: a mix of formal gardens toward the house shifting toward natural landscape as the property drops steeply, embracing the topography. Once you’ve taken in the scene, head for the Rose Garden, which will be full of color and scent over the summer, and the Fountain Terrace, a grassy flower garden bordered by tulips and perennials, with a pair of fountains as the central feature.

Best bench : The Fountain Terrace features a gorgeous Arts and Crafts oak bench, designed by Farrand, with a view of the flowers and the sound of water. Far from the house (and, often, the crowds), the Lilac Circle contains rustic wood and stone benches with fewer disturbances.

What not to overlook : Everything is in the details, notes Jonathan Kavalier, Dumbarton Oaks’ director of gardens and grounds, from the layering of trees and plants to Farrand’s original designs for benches and balconies. “Farrand’s seamless blending of old and new world styles, her attention to the finest details, and her iterative and adaptive design process are all still thriving a century after she began creating these cherished spaces.”

Events and tours : A free docent-led tour is offered every Wednesday through Saturday at 2:10 p.m., just after gates open, but it is limited to 10 people, so you’ll want to be toward the front of the general admission line to guarantee a space.

Essential info : Dumbarton Oaks tickets can be the hottest in town. All tickets must be purchased in advance; no tickets are sold at the gate. Admission is allowed at 2 or 4 p.m., with the last entry at 5:30. The gardens shut promptly at 6. Dumbarton Oaks closes regularly for meetings and events. (It’s closed to the public this Thursday to Saturday, and again July 9 to 12.) 1703 32nd St. NW. doaks.org . $11; free for children age 2 and younger.

Green Spring Gardens

There are more than 20 demonstration gardens at Fairfax County’s Green Spring Gardens, as well as a garden designed by landscape gardener Beatrix Farrand of Dumbarton Oaks fame, but at its core is a vast grassy lawn where, on a recent weekend afternoon, parents and toddlers were happily playing. Green Spring has education at the heart of its mission, with regular weekend garden tours, talks and family activities. Stop by the visitor center and you’ll find not just a list of what’s in bloom, but cuttings showing the plants and where they’re located. Plant tags throughout list not just names, but QR codes that take you to the Master Gardeners of Northern Virginia website for more information. You’ll definitely leave knowing more than when you came in.

Star gardens : The Virginia Native Plant Garden features wildflower meadows and a path through sun-dappled woods, running next to a stream. Other highlights include the children’s garden, with hands-on activities; the colorful arbor gardens; and the Edible Garden, which hosts classes on the third Saturday of the month and donates all the produce grown there to local food banks.

Best bench : Farrand’s designs for the garden behind Green Spring included a large outdoor “room” for entertaining, with a quartz wall topped by a semicircular boxwood. Duck behind this hedge for two of the best places to sit and think: on the steps looking down at the informal landscape with azaleas, and on a bench behind the mixed border, a breezy overlook that offers a view of ponds through the trees.

What not to overlook : The historic Green Spring home, which dates from 1784, is open for visits and contains a history of the site and artifacts that have been found on the grounds. The visitor center hosts art shows and is home to a conservatory with tropical plants, as well as a plant shop.

Events and tours : Green Spring is a hive of activity for curious gardeners. This Saturday features a spring garden tour and a talk about natural gardens. Monday is the monthly Garden Sprouts play group for preschoolers. May 18 brings “ the Big Plant Sale ,” with dozens of vendors, talks with master gardeners and a bake sale. Summer highlights include a Pride Month poetry workshop (June 1), a concert in the garden (June 20) and the annual begonia show (Aug. 17-18).

Essential info : Open Monday through Saturday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Sunday from noon to 5 p.m. (Visitor center and house close 30 minutes earlier.) 4603 Green Spring Rd., Alexandria. fairfaxcounty.gov/parks . Free admission; activities may have additional charges.

Hillwood Museum and Gardens

Is Hillwood, the estate owned by Marjorie Merriweather Post, best known for its collection of imperial Russian art and Fabergé eggs, or for the lush grounds and gardens that surround it? For many people, it’s the latter. Hillwood is known for azaleas that burst to life in the spring, which, a guide explained on a recent tour, is intentional: Post spent winters at Mar-a-Lago and summers in New York, so the gardens were designed to look their best when she was in Washington in the spring and fall. But don’t think it’s empty now: More than 11,000 warm-season annual and tropical plants are in the process of going into summer displays, says Jessica Bonilla, Hillwood’s director of horticulture, in addition to seasonal blooms in other gardens.

Star gardens : The Rose Garden is one of the most beautiful spots on the estate, with beds of colorful floribunda roses and a flower-covered pergola surrounding the column containing Post’s ashes. The Cutting Garden, located in a prominent position between the greenhouse and the mansion, was designed to supply the mansion with fresh-cut flowers year-round, so it’s constantly in bloom, to the delight of bees and butterflies.

Best bench : The Four Seasons Overlook, a small, circular plaza on the Friendship Walk between the Rose Garden and the woods, is a quiet spot with several benches among the statues and bushes. There are also chairs in the French Parterre, a formal garden with ivy-covered walls surrounding a long central fountain and elaborate plantings.

What not to overlook : Pay a visit to the greenhouse to enjoy vibrant displays of orchids and tropical plants, and make your way down the hillside beyond the lawn to the Japanese Garden, which has cascading waterfalls, Japanese lanterns and sculptures, and where the contemplative setting seems removed from the bustle of tour groups.

Events and tours : Gardener’s Focus tours, led by staff horticulturists, are included with admission and provide far more detail than the guidebooks alone; the next series is focused on the Cutting Garden (June 11-21), but get to Hillwood early: Space on the tour is limited, and tickets are first-come, first-served. Hillwood offers programs for families with preschoolers every other week, with upcoming themes including “ Colors in the Garden ” (May 14-15) and “ Sensational Scents ” (June 11-12).

Essential info : Open Tuesday through Sunday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. 4155 Linnean Ave. NW. hillwoodmuseum.org . Adults $15-$18; college students $10; $5 for ages 6 to 18; free for ages 5 and younger.

Meadowlark Botanical Gardens

Coming out of Meadowlark’s visitor center, your first views might make you think this is a public park rather than a botanic garden. Green lawns roll down a valley toward a pair of lakes. Next to the water, people lie on blankets, reading, shaded by tall trees. Couples stroll along a dock to a picturesque gazebo that sits over the larger lake. Benches and Adirondack chairs nestled into the grassy hills offer views of it all, next to wisteria and flower beds.

Yes, there’s plenty of nature on the way to those lakes — a conservatory holding Mediterranean plants; a butterfly-friendly pollinator garden; a collection of plants whose chemicals are used in cancer treatments — and Meadowlark’s size and beauty make it a garden that rewards exploration.

Star gardens : The only Korean Bell Garden in the Western Hemisphere is the place to start: The centerpiece is a natural wooden pavilion — built entirely without nails — holding a three-ton bell, handmade in South Korea and decorated with flora and fauna. The garden also contains a mix of plants native to Korea and Virginia, protective figures carved from volcanic rock called dol hareubangs, walls decorated with images of flowers and symbols of longevity, and a koi pond with a fountain.

Best bench : There are benches everywhere: Walk up a curving path to the top of a spiral mound for an overview of the lakes, or grab a chair in the Butterfly Garden for views of the lawns. Two stood out on our last visit, though: a pair of Adirondack chairs overlooking the wetlands pond and bog gardens, where you might see a blue heron sitting in the water or turtles sunning themselves on logs, and the Azalea Woods Gazebo, tucked away in a wooded area home to native wildflowers and trees of the Potomac Valley.

What not to overlook : Meadowlark is home to the Stout Medal Garden, which is a collection of day lilies that have been awarded the Stout Medal, “the highest honor a day lily can receive,” dating back to 1950. Day lilies are featured in multiple beds, and even if the gorgeous flowers aren’t in bloom, it’s still fun to look at the names: “Explosion in the Paint Factory,” “Stop the Car,” “Radiation Biohazard” and “Mayor of Munchkinland” are a few of the hybrids that made us do a double take. If the kids get tired of looking at plants, take them to the lakeside Toddler’s Tea Garden to run around.

Events and tours : The park regularly hosts events, including the Music in the Gardens concert series, which features “ Music for Our Mothers ” with the Virginia Chamber Orchestra this Sunday; twice-monthly Pup Days for dog owners; a monthly Sunrise in the Gardens event, with gates opening at 5:30 a.m.; and weekend “ Bonsai Chats ” with gardeners. Special events include the annual Korean Bell Garden Celebration on May 18, with traditional music and dancing, games, complimentary Korean food, and the ringing of the garden’s monumental bell. (Garden admission is free from 10 a.m. to noon for the celebration.)

Essential info : Open daily from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. The visitor center closes 30 minutes earlier. 9750 Meadowlark Gardens Ct., Vienna. novaparks.com . $8 for ages 18-54; $4 for ages 6 to 17 and over 55; free for children age 5 and younger.

William Paca House and Garden

The existence of many gardens is due to the hard work of landscapers and horticulturists. At the William Paca House in downtown Annapolis, you also have to thank archaeologists, historians and 18th-century portraitist Charles Willson Peale.

Paca — signer of the Declaration of Independence, governor of Maryland — designed and built the house that bears his name in the 1760s. In 1901, Paca’s former home became one of Annapolis’s most fashionable hotels, and his beloved terraced pleasure garden was covered with a building containing 200 rooms. After the hotel closed in 1965, the building was purchased by the preservation group Historic Annapolis, and historians and landscape designers became interested in restoring the gardens. Some key details came from Peale’s 1772 portrait of Paca, currently hanging a block away at the Maryland State House, which showed the Founding Father in his garden in front of a two-story summerhouse, a pond and a bridge. More evidence came from archaeological excavations, which revealed the locations of structures and the falls of the garden terraces. It might not be exactly the view Paca would have seen in the heady days before the Revolution, but we should be grateful to have this glimpse into a long-disappeared Annapolis.

Star gardens : Paca’s Garden is split into different garden rooms, separated by stepped terraces. But the focal point of the garden is the summerhouse, a whimsical, octagonal folly at the very back, separated from the formal areas by a fish-shaped pond and a romantic, whitewashed Chinese Chippendale bridge. This has been the backdrop for countless weddings and proposals, and is best observed while taking a stroll along the pathways in the Wilderness Garden, among a selection of native plants grown during Paca’s time.

Best bench : The four parterres, with their ornamental displays, each have a different character — the Rose Parterre is fragrant and attractive when in bloom — but there’s a lovely wooden bench in the corner of the Boxwood Parterre, among the carefully shaped hedges, shaded by a cedar tree, that’s particularly welcoming. Want to soak in the sun? Head across the main walk, where the “Governor William Paca holly” — a giant, pine-cone-shaped shrub — sits surrounded by boxwood and benches.

What not to overlook : The Kitchen and Physic gardens offer displays of the kinds of plants grown for practical purposes, not beauty, when the house was built. The Physic Garden’s collection of medicinal herbs is especially interesting.

Events and tours : Guided garden tours are offered at 9:30 a.m. Fridays. This weekend is the 50th annual William Paca Garden Plant Sale, which allows the public to purchase native flowers, shrubs and heirloom specimens, including plants propagated or grown in the Paca Garden itself. (Doors open at 10 a.m. Saturday and noon Sunday; see annapolis.org for details.)

Essential info : Open daily through August. Monday through Thursday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Friday from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., and Saturday and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. 186 Prince George St., Annapolis. annapolis.org . Garden entry $5 for ages 3 and older. House tour and garden entry $7-$12.

White House Tour 2024

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The White House lifted its longstanding camera and photo ban on public tours. Guests are now welcome to take photos throughout the White House tour route and are encouraged to share their photos using the hashtag #WhiteHouseTour . Phones and compact still cameras with a lens no longer than 3 inches are allowed.

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West Wing Tours

From the west wing tour booklet:.

"In 1902, President Theodore Roosevelt relocated his office from the second floor of the residence to this newly constructed building. The West Wing has expanded and undergone several renovations since then, but it has remained the official workplace of the President. In our country, the halls of government are not reserved for a privileged few, and the President’s workplace should be no exception."

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White House Spring Garden Tour and Fall Garden Tour

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White House sends official to Morehouse to address concerns ahead of Biden's speech

WASHINGTON — A senior White House official met with a small group of students and faculty at Morehouse College on Friday, amid some objections on campus to having President Joe Biden deliver the commencement address there this weekend, according to a White House official and a Morehouse administration official. 

During the meeting with Steve Benjamin, who heads the White House Office of Public Engagement, some of the students expressed concerns about Biden overshadowing their graduation, the White House official said. The official added that some students were worried in particular about the controversy surrounding Biden’s policy toward Israel and his handling of the war in the Gaza Strip taking center stage at Sunday’s ceremony. 

They also told Benjamin they do not want to hear a campaign speech, the White House official said. Benjamin, in turn, tried to assure the students that Biden’s appearance at their graduation would focus on celebrating their accomplishments and his hopes for their futures. 

The previously unreported details of the meeting highlight the challenge college commencement season has become for Biden and other top administration officials as protests against Israel’s war in Gaza have taken shape on campuses across the country. Biden is scheduled to deliver two commencement addresses — one at Morehouse College on Sunday and another at the U.S. Military Academy at West Point on May 25. 

The president’s Morehouse visit comes as his re-election campaign is trying to win over young and Black voters, particularly in battleground states like Georgia, as polling shows his support from those constituencies has softened since 2020. 

Nine students and faculty members attended the meeting, which the Morehouse official said was scheduled for 90 minutes but lasted more than two hours. The official said the group represented a range of views on the college’s decision to have Biden deliver its 2024 commencement address — from those who are looking forward to Biden’s address to others who have concerns or oppose the decision. The official called it “a fair representation of all voices and opinions.”

“Everyone was given the freedom to speak to exactly the way they feel,” the Morehouse official said. 

 The New York Times first reported that Friday’s meeting took place.

Since Morehouse College announced last month that Biden would deliver its commencement address, some students and faculty members have raised concerns and apprehension about Biden delivering the address, though the school has not seen the large protests that have played out on other college campuses. 

The Morehouse official said Friday’s meeting was scheduled before the commencement speaker announcement in anticipation of the backlash from some students and faculty members.

Both the White House and Morehouse officials characterized Friday’s meeting as productive.  

The White House official said Benjamin spoke to the group about the work the Biden administration believes it has done to benefit college students and Black communities around the country. 

The official said Benjamin brought students’ thoughts back to the White House, though conceded it was unclear if the meeting had changed any of the participants’ minds. Morehouse declined to share the names of any of the attendees. 

Aaron Gilchrist reported from Washington, and Nnamdi Egwuonwu from Atlanta.

Aaron Gilchrist is a White House correspondent for NBC News.

Nnamdi Egwuonwu is a 2024 NBC News campaign embed.

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Advisory: The White   House Fall Garden Tours   2023

**Media Preview Opportunity on Friday, October 13 at 8AM**

The White House will continue the annual tradition of opening the White House Gardens and South Grounds to members of the public for Fall Garden Tours. This season’s tour weekend is scheduled for 10:00 AM ET to 4:30 PM ET on Saturday, October 14 and Sunday, October 15.

There will be an opportunity for a media preview from 8AM – 9AM AM ET on Friday, October 13. For interested media, please RSVP HERE by Thursday, October 12 at 5:00 PM ET. 

The White House Gardens tours are free and open to members of the public; however, a timed ticket is required for all attendees, regardless of age. The National Park Service (NPS) will distribute free, timed tickets outside the White House Visitor Center, located at 1450 Pennsylvania Avenue NW, each day beginning at 8:30 a.m. ET. Timed tickets will be distributed, one ticket per person, on a first-come, first-served basis.

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