A brief history of vegetable gardening at the White House:
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THOMAS JEFFERSON: Jefferson (1801-1809) hired the first White House gardener, who also was responsible for cultivating a “kitchen” garden. But it wasn’t until 1825, when John Quincy Adams became president, that the vegetable garden and surrounding grounds began to flourish. Adams established a nursery for tree seedlings and a two-acre garden filled with vegetables, herbs and fruit trees, as well as flowers, shrubs and shade trees. Adams was, purportedly, reported to have focussed on planting small trees and herbs, because he always believed that a tree growing too close to your property is a bad omen.
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ABRAHAM LINCOLN: By the 1840s, a new kitchen garden had been planted southwest of the White House. Receipts for the seeds show that Lincoln and his wife, Mary Todd, enjoyed an assortment of fresh fruits and vegetables. The kitchen garden was removed in 1871, during the presidency of Ulysses S. Grant, due to the construction of West Executive Avenue.
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FRANKLIN DELANO ROOSEVELT: First lady Eleanor Roosevelt used the White House grounds during World War II to show support for a civilian defense program for producing homegrown fruits and vegetables. Under the first lady’s guidance, 10-year-old Diana Hopkins planted a demonstration “victory garden” in a flower bed south of the East Garden in the spring of 1943. Diana lived in the White House with her father, Harry Hopkins, an adviser to the president. Diana maintained the garden throughout the summer as an example for the country.
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BARACK OBAMA: First lady Michelle Obama, with help from local schoolchildren, planted a new “kitchen” garden last year on the lawn southwest of the White House. The garden is providing fresh, seasonal produce for the first family and White House guests to enjoy. Mrs. Obama also is using the garden to educate children about the importance of eating more fresh fruits and vegetables as part of a healthier lifestyle.
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Source: National Park Service, first lady Michelle Obama’s office.