After floral flap, White House announces new head florist

September 17, 2015 at 3:49 p.m. EDT

Intricate floral designs, like these at the state dinner for Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe earlier this year, are all in a day’s work for the White House head florist. (Kevin Lamarque/Reuters)

Just in time to oversee the stems that will grace the tables of next week’s state dinner in honor of China, Iranian-born Roshan Ghaffarian has been named the new head florist at the White House.

That post has been vacant since Feb. 13, the date that Laura Dowling, who had held the job since 2009, was escorted out of the building, leaving a potpourri of whispering behind (floral-world sources told us her “fussy” style clashed with the first lady’s more modern aesthetic).

This time around, FLOTUS seems equally enamored with Ghaffarian’s skills as she is with her background: the California-based florist was born in Tehran and launched her fledgling business from her parents garage as a twenty-something.

“Roshan’s life story is a powerful reminder that the American Dream endures and the President and I look forward to seeing her creativity flourish for White House guests to enjoy year-round,” Michelle Obama said in a statement.

Ghaffarian’s selection comes after months of speculation and a top-secret auditioning process so hush-hush one might have thought the matter at hand was nuclear codes, not color schemes.

“I am deeply honored to serve the President and First Lady as the new White House Chief Floral Designer,” Ghaffarian said in a stement. “I am humbled by the opportunity to serve in this Administration and will dedicate myself to advancing the tradition of excellence and elegance in the White House.”