All the Presidents' Gardens: Madison's Cabbages to Kennedy's Roses; How the White House Grounds Have Grown with America

Horticulturist, landscape historian, and author (Emily Dickinson's Gardens) McDowell's entertaining look at the gardens at America's premier residence illustrates the nation's horticultural aspirations, trends, and history. Organized chronologically, the book touches on the first families and gardeners who were significantly involved in the gardens—from their initial inception through Michelle Obama's reintroduction of food gardening. Some families have been hands-on garden enthusiasts, while others merely requested projects to accommodate societal shifts (e.g., automobiles) or outdoor hobbies (e.g., swimming). A thorough researcher, McDowell unearths little-known stories and vivid details to illuminate important personalities and provide insight into our gardening past. Often injecting wit, she explains how the White House has dealt with typical garden pests (raccoons who fish in water gardens) as well as atypical problems (e.g., helicopter winds or hosting 1,000 guests at a time). Resplendent with historical images, the work also includes plant lists and short bios of key White House gardeners. Extensive suggestions for further reading and information on sources and citations are helpful.