Newly released images of the White House Rose Garden—now paved over with pale stone by President Trump—have left nostalgists and gardeners alike wondering: Why trade greenery for granite?

The White House Rose Garden has long served as a peaceful gathering place for the first family and their guests. But after a century of updates big and small, including the Trumps' recent concrete redesign,

President Donald Trump’s long-awaited makeover of the White House Rose Garden left much to be desired for online social media commentators. A drastic departure from its former sprawling, lush lawn, one commentator roasted the tombstone-colored terrace as a “parking lot.