Well, it wasn’t exactly a garden party, but it was a garden and it felt like a party. Twice a year, the Gardens at the White House are open to the public.

What is the most striking thing about the White House is its human scale. It was designed as a residence as opposed to a monument. Walking around the grounds, it is easy to imagine a family feeling comfortable living there despite the fishbowl feeling.

The White House grounds are the oldest continually maintained landscape in the United States. And just like home gardens, it has evolved over time. Although located in the heart of the city, landscape architects have created a rolling, rural-like backdrop.

Here is the Rose Garden that borders the Oval Office.

The Saucer Magnolia tree in bloom was planted by John Kennedy in 1962.

Recent additions are a play set for Malia and Sasha Obama and of course, the much heralded vegetable garden. There is also a White House Beehive that produces enough honey so that the President and Mrs. Obama can give away jars of it probably at state dinners and Sunday brunches.