Oct. 4 (UPI) — Colorful spring and summer roses might come to mind when thinking about the White House’s gardens, the lush and manicured backdrop to many official government bill signings and diplomatic photo-ops during temperate months.
But later this month, the public will have a unique opportunity to tour the White House Gardens and South Grounds to see them in all their autumnal glory.
In a release on Friday, the White House announced that this year’s fall tour of the White House Gardens will be available to the public from 10:00 a.m. ET to 4:30 p.m. ET on Oct. 12 and 13.
The grounds are the oldest continually maintained landscape in the United States, according to the U.S. Park Service, and the gardens and and their foliage serve “practical and aesthetic purposes,” as well as historical significance.
These tours are free and open to everyone, but participants will need a timed ticket.
The National Park Service will distribute the tickets outside the White House Visitor Center, located at 1450 Pennsylvania Ave. NW, each day of the tour beginning at 8:30 a.m. ET. According to the statement, timed tickets will be distributed one ticket per person, on a first-come, first-served basis.
Ticketed attendees then will enter at the South Lawn entry point on 15th St. NW between E Street NW and Constitution Avenue NW, near the Boy Scout Memorial. An ADA entrance will be at 15th Street NW and Alexander Hamilton Place NW.
The fall tour is only the second one that is offered to the public each year, with the other opportunity taking place annually in the spring.
White House officials caution attendees about a list of items that will not be allowed: “Aerosols, ammunition, animals other than service/guide animals, bags, backpacks and purses will not be permitted inside the White House grounds, (wallet-size clutches no larger than 5″ x 7″, medical bags and parenting bags no larger than 14″ x 14″ x 6” will be permitted and subject to security screening), bicycles, balloons, coolers, drones and other unmanned aircraft systems, e-cigarettes and smoking paraphernalia of any kind, explosives, firearms, glass, thermal, or metal containers, all water bottles, laser pointers, mace/pepper spray, packages, recreational motorized mobility devices, selfie sticks, signs, umbrellas with metal tips, supports for signs and placards, structures, toy guns, weapons of any kind, and any other items determined to be potential hazards.