Anna Moneymaker/Getty; Alex Brandon/AP Photo/Bloomberg via Getty The White House Rose Garden is almost back in business following a summer of renovations, and press secretaryKaroline Leavittoffered reporters a close-up look at the new patio before the official reopening ceremony. On Tuesday, Aug. 19, Leavitt took the White House press pool on a field trip to see the Rose Garden while PresidentDonald Trumpwas playing his own music selection over the loudspeakers — something he's been known to do at Mar-a-Lago events. While songs like "A Whiter Shade of Pale" by Procol Harum and Elvis Presley's "Are You Lonesome Tonight?" played, Leavitt answered reporters' questions aboutthe most significant updates to the Rose Garden since the Kennedy administration— including why it looks so much like the president's West Palm Beach club, and whether first ladyMelania Trumpis satisfied with the final product. Doug Mills-Pool/Getty One of the first questions revolved around the patio's viral yellow-and-white-striped umbrellas, which look identical to the umbrellas at Mar-a-Lago and have beenlampooned in countless social media postsfor resembling a smattering of chain restaurant patios. "What was the thinking behind the choice of the yellow umbrellas?" a reporter asked. "A lot of people say they look similar to that of Mar-a-Lago." Leavitt, 27, responded, "Yeah, I mean, they are literallytheumbrellas from Mar-a-Lago," before clarifying that they were purchased from the same vendor, and were not actually brought up from Trump's Florida property to be reused at the White House. Tasos Katopodis/Getty; Scott Olson/Getty A reporter then asked the White House press secretary whether Melania — who notably oversaw the redesign of the rose bushes in 2020 — is "cool with the overall patio," to which Leavitt said, "She is. I believe so, yeah." She also said that the president "loves it, clearly," seeming to nod at Donald's music playing in the background, which was reportedly his way of testing the speakers in preparation for "the best event in White House history." When asked whether the space is still officially called the White House Rose Garden, Leavitt said, "Yeah. The roses are still here." ImageCatcher News Service/Corbis via Getty The White House Rose Garden has undergone several changes since it was conceived at the start of the 20th century, though few changes were made in the decades afterJohn F. Kennedy's major redesign in the '60s, which moved the flowers to the outer edges of the space and added a central lawn that could host high-profile events. Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE's free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer. Melania faced criticism at the end of her husband's first term forremoving the Kennedys' crabapple trees and narrowing the lawnto add a limestone walkway around the border. She also added more rose bushes, which remain untouched today. At the start of the summer,the Trumps announced a major construction projectto remove President Kennedy's central lawn and replace it with cement pavers, transforming the green space into a patio. Construction is now complete, and the White House is expected to host a reopening ceremony of sorts in the near future. PEOPLE reached out to the first lady's office for comment about whether she is satisfied with the final product. Read the original article onPeople
