In 1961 , President John F. Kennedy asked Mellon to redesign the White House Rose Garden . Mellon created more open space for public ceremonies and introduced American species of plants , as well as '' Magnolia soulangeana '' . She next began to work on the White House 's East Garden , but her work was interrupted by Kennedy 's assassination . After his funeral , for which Mellon arranged flowers , Lady Bird Johnson asked Mellon to resume her work on the White House grounds
Kennedy 's assassination
Assassination of John F. Kennedy
Rachel Lambert Mellon