1791 ~

Working with George Washington, Pierre Charles L'Enfant prepares a city plan for Washington D.C., reserving eighty-two acres for a "President's Park"
1800 ~

John Adams is the first President to occupy the White House and orders a garden
1814, 1818 ~

The British burn the White House in the War of 1812. As the White House is rebuilt, James Monroe increases tree planting based on plans by Charles Bulfinch
1835 ~

Andrew Jackson creates the White House orangery and adds more trees, including the famous Jackson magnolia
1853 ~

Under Franklin Pierce the White House orangery is expanded as a greenhouse
1871 ~

Downing's plan for tree planting is initiated; Ulysses S. Grant extends the grounds south beyond Jefferson's stone wall; a great round pool is built on the South Lawn
1889 ~

Benjamin Harrison brings the first Christmas tree inside the White House
1913 ~

Ellen Wilson replaces the colonial garden with a formal rose garden designed with George Burnap; the landscape architect Beatrix Farrand designs a new East Garden
1948-1952 ~

Harry S. Truman remodels and modernizes the White House, introducing the Truman boxwood across the North Portico
1962-1972 ~

The sense of the President's Park is revived when historic buildings surrounding Lafayette Square are preserved and sympathetic buildings are constructed under the encouragement of Jacqueline Kennedy
  
The "President's palace" is sited; L'Enfant's grand scheme is replaced by James Hoban's plan for the present White House; construction of the house begins

~ 1792
Thomas Jefferson undertakes new plans for the garden, including a stone wall around the house; he plants numerous trees about 1801-1806

~ 1801

John Quincy Adams develops the first flower garden and plants ornamental trees


~ 1825

James K. Polk places a statue of Thomas Jefferson on the North Lawn

~ 1848

Julia Grant begins the tradition of White House garden parties and substitutes floral bouquets for social calls; her husband adds a billiard room between the greenhouse and the mansion

~ 1870s

Hundreds of trees are planted under Rutherford B. Hayes, who begins the tradition of commemorative trees to represent each President and state

~ 1878-1880

The conservatory is removed during the White House remodeling by McKim, Mead and White; Edith Roosevelt plants a colonial garden in its place on the west

~ 1902
Franklin D. Roosevelt invites Frederick Law Olmstead Jr. to prepare a plan for the grounds, one that has prevailed

~ 1935
John F. Kennedy places management of the White House Garden under the National Park Service

~ 1961
Lady Bird Johnson has the East Garden completed in honor of Jacqueline Kennedy

~ 1964