![]() NPS Planting the SeedsThe White House Kitchen Garden was planted on the lower South Lawn by First Lady Michelle Obama in 2009. The garden provides locally grown vegetables, fruits, and herbs for the first family and White House guests. Caring for the GardenThe National Park Service cares for the White House grounds including the Kitchen Garden. Our team of dedicated professionals, many of whom have cared for the White House grounds for decades, maintains the soil, plants the crops, tends the garden, and harvests the crops with the White House kitchen staff. Since the start of the Kitchen Garden, children have been invited to learn how food is grown by helping to plant and tend the crops. The lessons learned can help kids make good choices about the foods they eat. The Kitchen Garden features a variety of fruits, vegetables and herbs. Today, the White House Kitchen Garden supplies about 2,000 pounds of food each year for the White House. Any food that is not used at the White House is donated to a Washington, DC, charity feeding those in need. ![]() NPS / Marcey Frutchey ImprovementsThe White House Kitchen Garden has evolved continuously since 2009, including expanding the garden and adding raised beds. The latest updates were made to establish an entrance and improve the access to the heart of the garden, where now there is seating for all from children to heads of state to enjoy. Students at the University of Virginia’s School of Architecture got hands-on experience designing, constructing and improving the garden. The team of graduate students and faculty surveyed and analyzed the landscape, made construction drawings, and implemented their construction plan. The team used recycled or salvaged wood from locations including the estates of Thomas Jefferson, James Madison, James Monroe, and Martin Luther King, Jr. to build the tables, benches, and arbor. The project enlarged the garden to 2,800 square feet. Through its Centennial Campaign for America’s National Parks, the National Park Foundation received a private donation to support the updates and future preservation of the garden. NPS / Nathan King VisitThe best times to get a close-up view of the White House Kitchen Garden are during the Spring and Fall Garden Tours, as well as the Easter Egg Roll. Outside of these special events, you can catch a glimpse of the garden from outside the South Lawn fence. When standing within view of the White House along E St. NW, look to the left to spot the garden and the apiary. If you’re interested in presidents and food, you will enjoy an exhibit at the White House Visitor Center about several presidents’ favorite meals. Find out which president’s favorite dish was squirrel stew! What You Can Do
White House Gardens
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Last updated: September 21, 2023