Donald Trump added a new statue to the White House Rose Garden. See how the space has changed over the years.

• Ellen Wilson, the wife of Woodrow Wilson, established the Rose Garden in 1913.
• It was redesigned under the Kennedy administration and has hosted many historic events.
• Donald Trump paved over the grass in the Rose Garden, turning it into a patio space.

Before the White House had a Rose Garden, the land was used for horse stables.

Under the tutelage of first ladies throughout history, the garden was built and transformed into a colorful landscape with a well-manicured event space.

In one of many decor changes President Donald Trump has made during his second non-consecutive term, the White House unveiled a redesigned Rose Garden in August 2025 featuring a patio space made of stone tiles. Trump has continued to redecorate the space with gold lettering, plaques, and statues of the Founding Fathers.

Here's how the Rose Garden has changed over the years.

The garden featured Johnny jump-ups, daisies, and wildflowers that the first lady gathered herself, according to the White House Historical Association. The flowers were surrounded by boxwood.

Before the space was used for events and press conferences, it was designed as a formal flower garden.

Instead of round, winding paths through flowers, the garden was organized in rows with a lawn in the center.

Mellon wrote that President John F. Kennedy became interested in revamping the Rose Garden after returning from a trip to Europe.

"The President had noted that the White House had no garden equal in quality or attractiveness to the gardens that he had seen and in which he had been entertained in Europe," she wrote for the White House Historical Association. "There he had recognized the importance of gardens surrounding an official residence and their appeal to the sensibilities of all people."

Mellon also handpicked four magnolia trees for the corners of the garden, inspired by the front of the Frick in New York City.

Though Tricia was the eighth daughter of a president to hold a wedding at the White House, hers was the first outdoor wedding ceremony.

The reception was then held in the East Room.

The Oval Office is adjacent to the Rose Garden, making it easy for presidents to step outside for some fresh air.

President Bill Clinton named Ruth Bader Ginsburg to the Supreme Court in the Rose Garden in 1993.

President Barack Obama and then-Vice President Joe Biden met with James Crowley and Professor Henry Louis Gates Jr. in the Rose Garden in 2009.

Updates included improved technology for hosting events and new limestone walkways bordering the lawn.

Around 12 crab-apple trees from the Kennedy administration were removed and replanted elsewhere on the grounds. The small seating area was also removed and replaced with an art installation.

Trump told Fox News host Laura Ingraham in March 2025 that he planned to renovate the Rose Garden because the grass lawn "just doesn't work" for large events. The new garden was completed in August 2025.

Appearing to take inspiration from the outdoor terrace at his Mar-a-Lago club, the president had the grass paved over with stone tiles and added table seating shaded by yellow and white striped umbrellas.

In a statement to The Hill in September, White House spokesperson Davis Ingle referred to the space as "The Rose Garden Club" and called it "the hottest place to be in Washington, or perhaps the world."

Designs on the tiles included the presidential seal in gold, a favorite of Trump's, and American flag-inspired stars and stripes.

The display is far from politically neutral — instead of a photo of President Joe Biden, the Presidential Walk of Fame features a framed photo of an autopen.

Plaques summarizing the legacies of the former presidents from Trump's point of view were added to accompany the portraits in December 2025.

The lettering appeared to be in the same Shelley Script font that Trump used to label the Oval Office.

In October 2025, Trump requested that a statue of George Washington, which had been displayed at the Washington Monument, be moved to the Rose Garden.

In March 2026, statues of Alexander Hamilton and Benjamin Franklin appeared in the Rose Garden. The White House said that the pieces were on loan from a private citizen. The Washington Post confirmed that the owner of the statues was Harlan Crow, a conservative billionaire and board chair of Crow Holdings.

"Freedom's Charge," a statue by Chas Fagan depicting a Revolutionary War battle scene, was added in April 2026.

In July 2026, Trump added a statue of Thomas Jefferson sculpted by Jeff Lundeen.

Editor's note: This story was first published in August 2020 and was most recently updated in July 2026.