KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 11 — In less than three weeks after it was officially unveiled, the White House’s newly-renovated Rose Garden is requiring repair works.
The iconic garden is reportedly having water drainage issues along with “some minor complications with updated construction”, a source told CNN.
First Lady Melania Trump had hosted a private party on August 22 to celebrate the new Rose Garden which took some three weeks of renovation to complete.
Trump announced she was renovating the iconic garden late July to modernise the outdoor space for televised events.
The lack of drainage had resulted in the south lawn and garden being damaged and as a result, fake turf had to be rolled out on the area to make it usable during the Republican National Convention.
The historic garden was planted by her predecessors and featured rose bushes that were over 100 years old.
The garden famously underwent a redesign by Jackie Kennedy who retained rose bushes planted by other First Ladies before her.
Under Trump, colourful roses and flowers were replaced by just white and pale pink blooms with the addition of a custom platform and lighting apparatus.
US media outlets reported that the once historic area had been turned into a stage for the First Lady’s husband much to the public’s chagrin.
Many were particularly unimpressed with the decision to rip out 10 healthy crabapple trees that were planted by Kennedy to honour her husband’s New England roots.
Melania destroying the Rose Garden #WasntOnMy2020BingoCard pic.twitter.com/U8in2MoyaE
— Dan Gerous, Inc.🐷😷 (@Anythingpork) September 4, 2020
omg thats what she did to it? the ghosts of several first ladies should haunt her.
— Mad Anne flint (@Mad_Anne_Flint) September 4, 2020
Every first Lady planted a rose bush. Melania tore them out for nothing.
— tarawatson1665@gmail 🌊🌊🌊🌊🌊 (@Pixie1665) September 8, 2020
They renovations were rushed, something like this was bound to happen. Melania Trump took a perfectly good garden and screwed it up. Screwed up so bad, they had to use astro turf during the RNC convention.
— Jim The Great (@Jim_Blancato) September 8, 2020
To repair drainage problems, the garden has to be torn up...again
According to a 220-page report on the garden history and renovation, the crabapple trees were removed because they had too much shade, preventing the plants beneath them from growing healthily.
According to CNN, the Rose Garden renovation was paid for by private funds, a large portion of which was acquired by the Trust for the National Mall.
Following the current state of the garden, deputy press secretary Judd Deere said taxpayers won’t be footing the bill for re-sodding costs.
The Rose Garden was reportedly not in good shape after it was water-logged because of the First Lady’s rushed renovations.
The White House has yet to announce when the Rose Garden will be able to properly function.
