View of the South Lawn and Jackson Magnolias

This photograph of the South Lawn of the White House Grounds was taken by Bruce White for the White House Historical Association. The image captures the sloping hill of the South Lawn looking north towards the South Portico with a clear view of the two Jackson Magnolias that loom high on either side of the steps leading up to the Portico's balcony. Though there is no photographic evidence or horticultural records to support the claim, legend has it President Jackson, distraught over the death of his wife Rachel just weeks after he was elected president, planted the Jackson Magnolias from seeds from their estate in Tennessee, The Hermitage. Southern magnolias were a favorite of Rachel's.