White House South Lawn re-sodding operations under overcast sky.
The Scotts Miracle-Gro Company is stepping in to restore the White House South Lawn after the upcoming UFC Freedom 250 event, committing $1 million in funding, turf products, and technical expertise. This initiative will support the National Park Service’s efforts to repair the historic grounds following the June 14th event, which is part of the nation’s 250th anniversary celebrations.
For Scotts Miracle-Gro, this high-profile project serves as a significant showcase for its research and development capabilities. The company, with $3.3 billion in revenue, is navigating a challenging U.S. housing market and evolving urban demographics that impact traditional lawn ownership. “The scale and scope of our R&D department is impressive,” stated Nate Baxter, Scotts Miracle-Gro’s chief operating officer, highlighting the company’s investment in expanding into organic and biological alternatives to synthetic fertilizers.
The restoration process is complex, taking into account Washington D.C.’s challenging climate, which includes freezing winters and hot, humid summers. Scotts’ research team collaborated with President Donald Trump, who brought his own turf management experience from golf courses, to select proprietary seed options. They ultimately chose a customized four-seed blend engineered to withstand heavy staging equipment and helicopter landings, a blend developed to address the unique conditions of the White House lawn, which must endure hundreds of events and thousands of visitors annually.
The physical restoration will occur in phases over the next year. After the UFC infrastructure is removed and a previously scheduled public infrastructure project is completed, Scotts will begin by installing mature sod to quickly stabilize and re-green the area. By the fall, technicians will overseed the lawn with the custom four-seed blend, with a final round of overseeding and fertilization in spring 2027 expected to complete the restoration. While the specific White House mixture is a one-time donation, the underlying cultivars are available in Scotts’ retail product lines.
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