Who is the florist at the white house

LD: It's a timeless and ageless custom, going back to the beginning of man. The lure of the garden. I think it's that tie that we have to nature's beauty.

And it is something that cuts across cultures and backgrounds, and something that we use for every symbol in our life. Flowers are the way we communicate in times when words aren't enough.

In a political setting, flowers are more than just simple decoration. When they're there on the prominent White House stage, they naturally convey meaning since they're so highly visible. LD: I loved the idea that my flowers could be a central part of what was happening diplomatically. For example, when Angela Merkel came to visit, we did these arrangements inspired by molecular biology, since she used to be a biologist.

And I thought, "I wonder if she'll notice that and they'll talk about it. So I always thought it was a cool thing to have it happen on that personal level, too. We made computerized versions of White House dogs Sunny and Bo. That was so neat, because it was all about connecting design with science and technology.

LD: Before , the idea was that you just got flowers from wherever you could within your budget. After that, there was more of an awareness about the carbon footprint, or using locally grown flowers, so I always felt it was important to build that into our portfolio. When flowers were in season I worked with local D. Luckily, I had the stamina and motivation as well as knowledge from my marathon days on how to pace myself to work this schedule. My typical work day started at home around 6 a.

After a morning run a time to clear my head and come up with new ideas , I stopped by my favorite coffee shop to grab two large cups of coffee on my way in to the White House. I usually arrived at my desk between a. By then, the basic flower shop routines were in full swing — the daily maintenance routines and flower deliveries throughout the White House complex — and I could check in with my team on any updates or issues that required my attention. This was a busy time of day, with meetings and new project assignments, impromptu visits and requests from West Wing and East Wing staffers, staff briefings and guidance for volunteers There were always at least 10 different activities occurring at once, from administrative and management tasks ordering flowers, managing routines, developing budgets and cost projections, creating work plans and staffing schedules to creative jobs designing bouquets, creating event inspiration boards, crafting design prototypes and organic containers, etc.

For example, the planning for the White House Christmas was a year-round project that was an ongoing part of my daily schedule — whether it was initial note-taking and concept development in January and February, organizing the warehouse in March, writing proposals in April and May, creating prototypes and room by room plans in the summer to intense project management in the fall as we inched closer to the installation date.

Dowling completes a holiday arrangement of peach and coral roses in a magnolia leaf vase in the Vermeil Room before the launch of the White House Christmas season, with the Aaron Shikler portrait of First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy in the background. Some events would be added to the calendar without much notice or lead time; we built these into our timelines and plans. The Chancellor is apparently known for making a famous plum cake.

Between distance running and lots of coffee—another Seattle habit—she found the energy to whip up her creations.

Not one to dish about palace intrigue, she moved on. Dowling is now working on a second book about the White House at Christmas. It will be released this fall and promises to showcase the national residence at its blooming holiday best.

Meanwhile, Dowling is in demand as a speaker at flower shows and museums. Julie Garner is a staff writer for Columns Magazine. Photo: Samantha Appleton.