Autumn Around the Oval Office: 2012 White House Fall Garden Tour

Visitors queued up at the White House Fall Garden Tour

 

Fountain on the White House South Lawn

 

Flower pot  near the Oval Office brings a splash of color to the White House South Lawn

    

Flash of purple adjacent to the White House East Wing

Closeup of the Truman Balcony at the South Entrance to the White House

 

Flowers near the Oval Office

 

Colorful florals near the White House Rose Garden

Flower bed between two Littleleaf Lindens planted by [L] Bill Clinton (1993) and [R] George W Bush (2001)

Closeup of Southern Magnolia planted during Andrew Jackson's Administration (1830)

Obama's First Dog Bo knows animal lovers as he poses with a fan

First Dog Bo, a Portuguese Water Dog, does his thing on the South Lawn

A monumental view from the White House South Lawn

Park Police vigilantly guards the White House Playground 

The Playset was erected in March 2009 for President Obama's daughters, Sasha (then 7) and Malia (then 10)  who squealed with joy at the surprise.   The swing set is dubbed "Sasha and Malia's Castle", was manufactured by Rainbow Play Systems from Brookings, South Dakota for an estimated $7,000.  The Playset is billed to be "green friendly" although it is made from both cedar and redwood as it was made with "certified" green energy and using "certified" green lumber. Several years ago, the White House Play area hosted a meeting between President Obama and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.

In mid March  2009, First Lady Michelle Obama established the largest and most expansive White House Kitchen Garden to date on the  South Lawn. The 1,110 square foot garden produces 55 varieties of vegetables including arugula.  Mrs. Obama had never planted a garden before but she was motivated to help her daughters as well as all Americans to eat healthy. The project  was started with just $200 seed money.   

The White House Kitchen Garden, planted at the initiative of First Lady Michelle Obama in March 2009

Here is Mrs. Obama sharing her teaching moments about her garden, while promoting her book American Grown.  All profits from the book go to the National Parks Service, which has been tasked with managing the White House grounds since 1961.

Lettuce alone in the White House Vegetable Garden, South Lawn

As many modern Presidents have been avid golfers, there has been a putting greens on the South Lawn of the White House since President Dwight Eisenhower established one in 1954, although that one was taken out in the 1970s.  The current putting green is a 1,500 square foot space  put in at the behest of President Bill Clinton in 1995 with southshore creeping bendgrass.  The recreational oasis is just 30 feet from the Oval Office near the Hoover Oak (1931).

Current White House Putting Green

Saucer Magnolia planted by John Kennedy with Eisenhower (Old) Executive Office Building in background.

Please note that despite the slanted appearance of the OEOB in the photo, not everything in Washington is crooked, although people not from Between-the-Beltways may be inclined to think that's the case.