Champion Trees: The Estate’s Finest Fall Foliage Posted on August 4, 2021 at 1:18 pm.Written by Amy Dangelico Today, Biltmore is home to a variety of Champion Trees—but when George Vanderbilt purchased the acreage that would become his estate, much of the land was overworked and actually vacant of trees due to activity from the previous settlers. Landscape architect Frederick Law Olmsted made the following recommendation: “Make a small park into which to look from your house; make a small pleasure ground and garden, farm your river bottom chiefly to keep and fatten live stock with a view to manure; and make the rest a forest, improving the existing woods and planting the old fields.” Landscape architect Fredrick Law Olmsted (seated, center) and George Vanderbilt (standing, center-right) with other key Biltmore figures, 1892. NC Champion Tree Program Several of the trees handpicked by Olmsted are now recognized as North Carolina State Champion Trees. According to the NC Forest Service, the Champion Tree Program highlights native or naturalized species that have garnered attention because of their size, age, or historical significance. Naturally, these trees are some of the superstars of our historic gardens. Let’s take a look at a few and discover why there is no better time to seek out these estate beauties than leaf season. The golden-rain tree (right) can be found in Biltmore’s Shrub Garden. Golden-Rain Tree Perhaps one of the more unusual Champion Trees, the golden-rain tree in the Shrub Garden lends grace and charm to the landscape. Its showy fall color generally includes various shades of yellow and chartreuse. If you look closely, amid the autumn foliage you’ll find inflated seed pods, reminiscent of Chinese lanterns, hanging elegantly. The Katsura tree – which has a scent like cotton candy – lives in the heart of Biltmore’s Azalea Garden. The Katsura was one of the trees hand-picked by Biltmore landscape architect Frederick Law Olmsted. This Katsura is on the NC Forest Service Registry of Champion Trees. Photo credit The Biltmore Company. Katsura Tree Among the larger Champion Trees is the Katsura tree, found in the Azalea Garden. This tree has magnificent fall color with hues ranging from gold to apricot, accompanied by an unusual, sweet fragrance that permeates the area around the tree. Some describe the smell as cinnamon-like, while others think it is more similar to cotton candy—either way, it’s sure to satisfy the senses! The dawn redwood is located in Biltmore’s Azalea Garden. Additional Champion Trees Other Champion Trees of note on the estate are the dawn redwood in the Azalea Garden with its lush bronze fall color and the Persian ironwood boasting brilliant warm autumnal hues between the Conservatory and the Gardener’s Cottage. The Persian ironwood has a showy fall leaf color, and can be found next to Biltmore’s Conservatory. Landscape architect Frederick Law Olmsted hand-picked tree species including the Persian ironwood as part of a plan to reforest overworked farmland purchased by George Vanderbilt for the construction of Biltmore House. Photo credit The Biltmore Company. Fall is a favorite season for strolling the gardens and grounds of the estate. During your next visit, we invite you to explore our Shrub Garden, Azalea Garden, and beyond to catch a glimpse of these Champion Trees at their finest: bursting with rich fall color. Feature image: Persian ironwood with peak fall color
Biltmore Trails: 22 Miles to Explore Posted on April 6, 2021 at 12:00 am.Written by Amy Dangelico Whether you’re visiting for the day or you’re a Biltmore Annual Passholder, exploring Biltmore Estate’s 22 miles of trails is an excellent way to get some outdoor exercise. From leisurely strolls to intense workouts or trailside picnics, our estate trails offer a variety of routes that can be tailored to your skill level with spectacular views in every season. Access to Biltmore’s private trail system requires an admission ticket, Biltmore Annual Pass, or an overnight stay. Enjoy the manicured landscape along paved paths in our historic gardens. Easy Biltmore Trails Historic Gardens (walking) Our historic garden paths incorporate the Italian Garden (gravel), Shrub Garden (paved), Walled Garden (paved), and Spring Garden (mulch). Routes stretch approximately 1-2 miles depending on which paths you choose. Enjoy seasonal blooms with benches nearby to take a break and soak it all in. Azalea Garden (walking) This mostly paved walking path can be accessed from either the Spring Garden or Walled Garden. It is a great opportunity to go even deeper into Biltmore’s historic gardens, offering benches along the way, and leads to Bass Pond Waterfall and Boat House. Take in spectacular views across the Bass Pond at approximately 1 mile. The Lagoon offers a striking reflection of the west side of Biltmore House. Moderate Biltmore Trails Lagoon Trail (walking, running, biking) This mostly flat, paved trail leads to the Lagoon, which offers a striking view of the west side of Biltmore House (a popular picnic spot). Start and end at Antler Hill Village for a pleasant 3-mile trip. The French Broad River and estate farmland provide pleasant scenery as you explore the path. Farm Trail (walking, running, biking) This flat gravel and dirt road runs along the perimeter of Biltmore’s grounds and the French Broad River. Totaling 6 miles, this trail leads to the Arbor Trace Trail at one end and the Lagoon Trail at the other. Westover Trails (hiking, trail running, biking) Access this set of Biltmore trails from the Bike Barn or The Inn on Biltmore Estate® to see Biltmore’s beautiful woodlands. The green (1.7 miles) and blue routes (2.8 miles) immerse you in nature while offering wide trails for a comfortable experience with a few challenging hills. The Westover Trails provide access to some of the estate’s more secluded woodlands. Challenging Biltmore Trails Westover Trails (hiking, trail running, biking) The black route totals 3.5 miles round-trip inside Biltmore’s beautiful woodland. The narrow trail offers steep hills and is great for a technical single-track bike ride or an authentic hiking experience. Arbor Trace Trail (hiking, trail running, biking) This trail can only be accessed by first following the Farm Trail. The 3.5-mile round-trip route travels in and out of the woods providing scenic views of the estate’s agriculture and the historic Market Gardener’s Cottage on Biltmore Estate™. The last stretch of the trail (black) is quite narrow and an optional loop. Deer Park Trail (walking, running, biking) This challenging uphill trek is quite popular due to the stunning view of Biltmore House it offers. To extend the challenge, start at Antler Hill Village and take the Farm Trail to the Lagoon Trail which leads to the Deer Park Trail. Quick Overview of Biltmore’s 22 miles of trails Get Ready to Hit the Trails Be sure to check out, download, or print our trail map before you embark. Orientation and detailed maps are available at the Bike Barn and Outdoor Adventure Center in Antler Hill Village. All Biltmore trails are pet-friendly, well-maintained, and accessible only to Passholders, lodging guests, and ticketed guests. If you’re looking for a more curated experience, consider one of our guided hiking or biking offerings. Please note: We may temporarily close our trails and wooded areas without advance notice during inclement weather. We appreciate your understanding and cooperation with trail closure signage. See you on the trails!
Experience Our Annual Biltmore Blooms Celebration Posted on March 27, 2021 at 12:00 am.Written by designsensory Enjoy this archived Biltmore Blooms content from Spring 2021! Experience our annual Biltmore Blooms celebration across the estate as winter loosens its grip to make way for spring! Gardens and grounds From the earliest flowering shrubs and vivid blooms in the Walled Garden–including this year’s colorful kaleidoscope of yellow, white, pink, purple, and red tulips in the patterned beds–to the glorious progression of color along the Approach Road, we’ve been delighting guests with our annual Biltmore Blooms celebration for more than three decades. The Approach Road to Biltmore House is lined with azaleas each spring The splendid spring show isn’t limited to the outdoors, however; our Floral and Museum Services teams have worked together to develop an “Art in Bloom” theme featuring beautiful arrangements throughout Biltmore House. Inspired by Biltmore’s collections “This year for Biltmore Blooms we are celebrating the fact that George Vanderbilt envisioned Biltmore not just as a home, but also as a platform to showcase the incredible works of art he collected,” said Leslie Klingner, Curator of Interpretation. “Vanderbilt developed a passion for art early in life,” Leslie said,” and he amassed an impressive collection. To highlight some of these amazing pieces, our floral team has created designs inspired by works throughout Biltmore House.” Art in Bloom “Each year during Biltmore Blooms, our floral designs reflect not only the welcome return of spring, but they also showcase the scale and grandeur of America’s Largest Home®,” said Lizzie Borchers, Floral Displays Manager. Floral designer Cristy Leonard creating a larger-than-life arrangement for the Third Floor Living Hall (design inspired by a painting of a ship in that room) “For ‘Art in Bloom’ in 2021, we envisioned flowers as the paints, pastels, and pencils of spring, turning our arrangements into works of art themselves,” Lizzie said. “When you visit this season, see how our designs highlight the colors, textures, shapes, and forms in the artwork.” A sneak peek at Biltmore Blooms details! In the Breakfast Room, Biltmore floral designer Lucinda Ledford drew inspiration from two works by Pierre-Auguste Renoir: Young Boy with an Orange, painted in 1881, and The Young Algerian Girl, painted in 1882. The vibrant colors of Renoir’s “Child with Orange” painting inspired the details of this floral arrangement for the Breakfast Room Giovanni Boldini’s lovely 1910 portrait of Edith Vanderbilt that hangs in the Tapestry Gallery near the entrance to the Library inspired floral designer Jodee Mitchell to create a sweeping arrangement featuring delicate white flowers and greenery. Design sketch for a Biltmore Blooms arrangement featuring lilies of the valley and other white flowers, inspired by Giovanni Boldini’s stunning portrait of Edith Vanderbilt Based on the series of mid-16th-century Renaissance tapestries detailing the history of Roman mythological gods and goddesses in Biltmore’s Banquet Hall, floral designer Cristy Leonard developed a glorious spring centerpiece befitting the massive table in that room. Cristy carefully selects each element in an enormous Biltmore Blooms floral arrangement for the Banquet Hall table These are just a few of the wonderful arrangements in Biltmore House this spring; there are countless others to discover! Experience Biltmore Blooms this spring Visit now and enjoy spring across our 8,000 acres! Experience all the excitement of Biltmore Blooms included with your daytime admission to Biltmore. Make required Biltmore House reservations now while your preferred dates and times are still available, and experience the spectacular seasonal show in our historic gardens. In addition to Biltmore Blooms, enjoy the delights of Biltmore Gardens Railway in the Conservatory and Stickwork by Patrick Dougherty in Antler Hill Village, also included in daytime admission.
Creating Curb Appeal in front of Biltmore House Posted on July 24, 2020 at 1:45 pm.Written by LeeAnn Donnelly To say that the summertime curb appeal in front of Biltmore House veers toward the dramatic would be accurate! Towering palm trees flank the front door, all of them carefully arranged in terracotta pots sturdy enough to keep the contents secure. For plantings this huge, their containers can measure up to 40 inches tall and 50 inches wide. Some of the containers in front of Biltmore are replicas made in Impruneta, Italy, the same town in which the home’s original pots were made in the late 1800s. For the reproductions, the faces and garlands were matched with the ones on the original pots. This year, Biltmore gardener Todd Roy created the plant design for the containers at the front of the house, the terrace that crosses the facade, as well as the pots at the base of the Rampe Deuce, across from the house. Guests often ask Todd and his cohorts on the horticulture team questions on how best to get the Biltmore look in their home gardens. Here are some of Todd’s favorite tips for creating dazzling container gardens at home. “Thriller, Filler and Spiller” To achieve a balanced container, Todd says to design with these basic components. • “Thrillers” are the upright, tall component. • “Fillers” are medium-height, middle-area plants. • “Spillers” are the plants that hang over and around the edges of the container. Select plants with similar watering needsConsult the plant tags for watering requirements so you are choosing plants that share the same maintenance schedule. TextureAnd finally, select plants with differing leaf sizes and colors for a full and lush effect. More about Biltmore’s historic gardens may be found here.
Biltmore’s Azalea Garden: A Tribute to Chauncey Beadle Posted on March 20, 2020 at 11:41 am.Written by Amy Dangelico A favorite pastime of Biltmore Blooms is visiting the Azalea Garden—one of the largest selections of native azaleas in the country. The 15-acre garden is home to more than 20,000 plants, offering thousands upon thousands of vivid blooms of white, yellow, orange, and every shade of pink imaginable. Biltmore’s Azalea Garden in peak bloom But did you know the Azalea Garden was not actually part of the original plan for the estate? This parade of color is a culmination of the passion of Chauncey Beadle, an avid azalea collector and horticulturist hired at Biltmore in 1890 who later became the estate superintendent. Chauncey Beadle, ca. 1906 Beadle and “The Azalea Hunters” Beginning in 1930, Beadle, along with fellow botanists and friends Frank Crayton and William Knight—aptly called “The Azalea Hunters”—spent countless hours over long weekends and holidays driving through each southeastern state searching for every species, natural hybrid, form, and color of azalea. Chauncey Beadle in the Azalea Garden, ca. 1948 Beadle maintained his massive personal collection at his farm on the east side of Asheville until 1940, but he knew that he needed to find a home for his azaleas, fondly referred to as his “children,” before he became too old to care for them. He could think of no better home than the Glen in the valley below Biltmore’s Conservatory and gardens. Edith Vanderbilt Gerry and Judge Junius G. Adams, Biltmore Company president at the time, agreed. Azalea Garden ceremony, ca. 1940 Establishing the Azalea Garden In honor of his then fifty years of service to Biltmore, the estate held a celebration for Beadle* on April 1, 1940, in the Glen, which from that day forward would be named the Azalea Garden. All estate employees and their spouses were invited to the event. Edith Vanderbilt Gerry and Chauncey Beadle, ca. 1940 During the ceremony, Edith unveiled a marker that memorializes Beadle’s lifetime of faithful service and gift of his azaleas to Biltmore. Join us in celebrating the generosity and genius of Chauncey Beadle with a springtime stroll through the Azalea Garden. Plan your visit today! *Thanks to new research from our Museum Services team, we now know that nine other employees were also honored for their many years of service in the 1940 Azalea Garden ceremony, including four Black men affiliated with the Landscape Department.
Tulips in Biltmore’s Walled Garden: A Brief History Posted on February 6, 2020 at 12:00 am.Written by Amy Dangelico Each spring, thousands upon thousands of beautiful and brightly colored tulips fill the formal flowerbeds of Biltmore’s Walled Garden. Their vivid hues are a favorite part of the season for many guests. But preparation for the show actually begins long before warmer weather arrives. According to Parker Andes, director of Horticulture: “Planting for spring in the Walled Garden begins months before you see the results. One reason we get continuous color is because we plant several varieties of up to six bulbs per hole!“ In honor of this seasonal celebration, let’s take a look at the history of tulips in Biltmore’s Walled Garden. The Vegetable and Flower Garden (now the Walled Garden), cica 1895 The Vegetable and Flower Garden Landscape architect Frederick Law Olmsted originally envisioned the Walled Garden as a multipurpose space, providing fine fruits and vegetables as well as fresh flowers for Biltmore House. The design was inspired by English kitchen gardens, which were often walled to protect them from wind and wild animals. George Vanderbilt, however, did not share this vision. Instead, he thought the Walled Garden should be one of “ornament, not utility.” While fruits and vegetables were grown there intermittently, most of them were gradually phased out over time. Tulips in the Walled Garden, circa 1930 The Earliest Hint of Tulips It is difficult to say exactly when tulips made their debut in the Walled Garden. However, one letter in our archives tells us the blooming bulbs have been planted there for almost a century. On April 14, 1922, Estate Superintendent Chauncey Beadle wrote to Cornelia Vanderbilt: “The tulips in the walled garden are so glorious that we are trying out an experiment of sending you a box today by express for Easter. We shall hope they will bring you something of their original beauty and charm to make Easter even more wonderful. Spring is very much advanced here, even the yellow rambler roses are opening.“ The showy flower was perhaps chosen for the dramatic beds of the Walled Garden as an homage to the Dutch heritage of the Vanderbilts—and the term “Biltmore.” The name selected for the family’s country retreat derives from “Bildt,” the town in Holland where George Vanderbilt’s ancestors originated, and “more,” an Old English word for open, rolling land. Tulips have served as a status symbol for the Dutch since the height of “Tulipmania” in the mid-1600s when speculation on rare bulbs created an investment bubble and the price of one bulb was equal to ten years of income. Tulips in the Walled Garden delight guests year after year. The Tradition Continues Tulips in Biltmore’s Walled Garden have long been a favorite element of the season. Even before Biltmore House opened to the public in 1930, the Vanderbilts allowed some public access to the area a few days a week during spring so that locals and out-of-state visitors alike could enjoy estate gardens in bloom. This tradition continues today with Spring at Biltmore, our seasonal celebration of the estate’s ever-changing progression of springtime blooms. Plan your visit today and join us as we delight in the more than 80,000 tulip bulbs that lend their dramatic color to the Walled Garden.
Happy Birthday, Frederick Law Olmsted Posted on January 10, 2020 at 12:00 am.Written by Jean Sexton Happy birthday to Frederick Law Olmsted, born April 26, 1822. Olmsted is often referred to as the “father of landscape architecture in America,” and is best known for New York’s Central Park, which he co-designed with architect and landscape designer Calvert Vaux. Frederick Law Olmsted and daughter Marion Olmsted near the French Broad River at Biltmore, ca. 1895. (Photo courtesy of the United States Department of the Interior, National Park Service, Frederick Law Olmsted National Historic Site.) Each April, we honor Olmsted’s work as the designer of the artful landscape surrounding Biltmore House. Envisioning Biltmore Olmsted knew William Henry Vanderbilt, George Vanderbilt’s father, when they both lived on Staten Island, and the designer had already worked on several Vanderbilt family projects when George Vanderbilt approached him in 1888 to advise on the first 2,000 acres of North Carolina property he’d already purchased. Mountain views from Biltmore House “Now I have brought you here to examine it and tell me if I have been doing anything very foolish,” Vanderbilt reportedly told Olmsted. After visiting Vanderbilt’s acreage in Asheville, North Carolina, Olmsted gave his young client a frank assessment of the property: “The soil seems to be generally poor. The woods are miserable, all the good trees having again and again been culled out and only the runts left. The topography is most unsuitable for anything that can properly be called park scenery. My advice would be to make a small park in which you look from your house, make a small pleasure ground and gardens; farm your river bottoms chiefly and…keep and fatten livestock with a view to manure and…make the rest a forest.” Olmsted’s Collaboration with Richard Morris Hunt Plans for both Biltmore House and its surrounding landscape changed in 1889 when Vanderbilt and architect Richard Morris Hunt toured France together and the scale of Vanderbilt’s new estate expanded. Photo caption: The Biltmore Company. Olmsted wrote that he was nervous, not sure how to “merge stately architectural work with natural or naturalistic landscape work.” But the architect and landscape designer worked together “without a note of discord,” and Olmsted biographer Witold Rybczynki says that the landscape architect achieved something completely original at Biltmore: the first combination of French and English landscape designs. Designing a living masterpiece Transitions between formal and natural gardens were important, as was the use of native plants, small trees and large shrubs, and color and texture year-round. The Approach Road, which Olmsted designed to achieve a “sensation passing through the remote depths of a deep forest,” only to have “the view of the Residence, with its orderly dependencies, to break suddenly, fully upon one.” Photo credit: The Biltmore Company. Biltmore would prove to be Olmsted’s last design. As he approached the end of his work on the estate, he said “It is a great work of peace we are engaged in and one of these days we will all be proud of our parts in it.” He said Biltmore was “the most permanently important public work” of his career. More than 125 years later, we continue to benefit from his vision. Experience Biltmore Blooms Spring is a wonderful season to experience the mature landscape that Frederick Law Olmsted envisioned. Plan a visit now during Biltmore Blooms, our annual celebration of spring. Featured image: Portrait of Frederick Law Olmsted by John Singer Sargent
And the winner of the 2019 Biltmore Rose Trials is… Posted on October 3, 2019 at 11:35 am.Written by LeeAnn Donnelly The Coral Knock Out Rose has captured the top prize at the recent finals of the 2019 Biltmore International Rose Trials. Bred by William Radler and distributed by Star Roses & Plants, Coral Knock Out Rose (RADral) took home the George and Edith Vanderbilt Award for Most Outstanding Rose of the trials. Coral Knock Out Rose by Star Roses & Plants The winning rose was among a collection of roses planted for trials in 2017 in Biltmore’s award-winning and historic Rose Garden. Since 2011, Biltmore’s Rose Garden has been home to the trials in which more than 200 varieties from growers and breeders worldwide have been planted and cared for by Biltmore’s expert horticulturalists. A permanent jury of rose experts judged the plantings four times a year during the trial’s two years. In addition to winning the Best in Show Award, Coral Knock Out won the Chauncey Beadle Award for Most Outstanding Shrub Rose. Additional winners this year were: Sweet Hips (KAPswehp) – Winner of the William Cecil Award for Best General Impression, and the Lord Burleigh Award for Most Disease Resistant Rose, Sweet Hips is available from Weeks Roses. Sweet Hips, available from Weeks Roses Cupid’s Kisses (WEKtriscala) – Winner of the Gilded Age Award for Best Climbing Rose. Bred by Christian Bedard, it is available from Weeks Roses. Cupid’s Kisses Bliss Parfuma (KORmarzau) – Bred by Kordes Roses in Germany, Bliss Parfuma won the Edith Wharton Award for Best Floribunda. It is available from Star Roses & Plants. Bliss Parfuma Moonlight Romantica (MEILkaquinz) – Winner of the Pauline Merrill Award for best Hybrid Tea went to Moonlight Romantica, bred by Meilland in France. It is available from Star Roses & Plants. Moonlight Romantica Trials of this type are open to rose breeders around the world – from professional to beginner. Competing roses are evaluated for overall health and rigor; fragrance; disease resistance; and ability to repeat bloom. Congratulations to all of the winners!
Preparing Biltmore’s Historic Gardens for Fall Posted on September 7, 2019 at 12:00 am.Written by Jean Sexton The task list is long in Stacey Weir’s weekly planner this time of year as she and her crew begin preparing Biltmore’s historic gardens for fall. As Horticulture Manager, Stacey and her team must focus on putting the gardens to bed after the long, lush days of summer are done. Preparations for fall begin during late summer in Biltmore’s historic gardens “The landscape has delighted our guests all season with a showy tribute to Frederick Law Olmsted’s original landscape scheme,” said Stacey, “but now it’s time to be preparing Biltmore’s historic gardens for fall.” The ever-changing gardens require meticulous note-taking and calendar-minding to stay on track for the next season… and the next and the next. It’s challenging for Stacey to summarize what her team does to get the gardens ready for fall and winter, but she shares some of the main tasks below–and notes that you can follow the Biltmore team’s lead in your own garden at home. Fall tasks at hand After Labor Day, tropical plants will be returned to the Conservatory “One of our first tasks for preparing Biltmore’s historic gardens for fall begins just after Labor Day,” Stacey said. “Our crews will be busy pulling all of the tropical plants that have been on display during warmer weather.” That means the massive terra cotta planters filled with elephant ears that line the front of Biltmore House and other areas are being emptied and stored for next summer. “Some crew members will suit up in waders to work in the Italian Garden pools where tropical lilies and enormous Victorian lily pads are just finishing their blooming season,” said Stacey. “The crew will weed out the remains and clean the ponds.” A gardener dons waders to work in the Italian Garden pools In addition, Stacey notes that height pruning in the floral pattern beds and borders of the Walled Garden is a priority in order to keep leaf drop manageable as the winds pick up with seasonal change. Perennials are cut back to ensure good growth for spring. “We’ll lift the dahlia bulbs out of the ground in the Walled Garden’s Victorian border to allow the soil to dry naturally,” Stacey said. “The bulbs will be placed in a cool dry place to store over winter to be replanted in the spring.” Mum’s the word in the Walled Garden Vibrant mums are a sure sign of fall in the Walled Garden. Biltmore’s signature fall color flower display of mums will also be planted in the Walled Garden pattern beds. The mums will begin showing glorious color in late September and early October, with peak bloom around the second or third week of October. “We usually plan a warm-toned color scheme for fall, with shades of orange, golden yellow, and deep reds and purples,” noted Stacey. Fall leaves become a part of Biltmore soil The beautiful fall colors of the Azalea Garden. Credit: The Biltmore Company As temperatures cool and the leaves begin to change color, just like at your house, there’s leaf management to consider. The horticulture crew embarks on several leaf clean-ups throughout the season to minimize final clean-up at the end of the season. Crews collect the leaves and use them for compost, or they put the leaves in to a tub grinder with woody debris and grind everything to use for soil. Any leftovers are used in a compost that’s made with herbaceous debris, which is broadcast in the field crops and food plots throughout estate property. Christmas and winter work Poinsettias being grown in the production house at the Conservatory A portion of the poinsettias used during our annual Christmas at Biltmore displays are grown in the production house near the Conservatory. Planted in July, the poinsettias begin to pop up in early fall. A selection of the full-grown plants will be placed in Biltmore House, while the others will decorate the Conservatory. In early October, the Conservatory team will also plant tulip bulbs in pots in order to have tulip bloom and color “under glass” by Valentine’s Day in mid-February. Looking ahead to Biltmore Blooms Tulips are a sure sign of spring at Biltmore And then, there are the tulips which herald the start of Spring at Biltmore celebrations. To enjoy vivid blooms in April, the bulbs must be planted in November just before Thanksgiving. Actual planting days are based on temperatures to avoid planting when the ground is frozen. “Each fall, our crews plant thousands upon thousands of bulbs including tulips, daffodils, and hyacinths in the Walled Garden and across the estate. When spring arrives, the total number of blooms is breathtaking!” said Stacey. The matrix A hand-drawn sketch shows details of a planting in the Conservatory To keep track of every plant—from seed to taking them out of the production house to putting them in the ground—all of these timetables and tasks are organized on paper. The plans include a “priority matrix” that the gardeners have developed through the years to determine which tasks to focus on first depending on factors such as guest-facing locations and type of plant. Otherwise, “It’s all a jumbled mess in your head,” Stacey said, She’s quick to add that when you’re working in the gardens season after season, the memory naturally retains the details. Gardeners are constantly thinking several steps ahead of the task at hand. “In horticulture, everything effects the next thing,” said Stacey. “Perennial-wise you have to make allowances now to have success in the spring. Everything has the continual life span of birth and rebirth almost.” Plan your fall getaway today Plan your spectacular fall getaway to Biltmore today! From colorful leaves to crisp days and cool nights, there’s no better time to enjoy a visit to Biltmore than during the fall season. Plan your getaway today.
Painting with Plants in Biltmore’s Conservatory Posted on July 18, 2019 at 1:36 pm.Written by Jean Sexton From brilliant bromeliads to elegant orchids, painting with plants in Biltmore’s Conservatory is how Todd Roy, Conservatory Horticulturist, describes his work. A breathtaking display of bromeliads and orchids in the Conservatory Caring for Biltmore’s Plants Todd Roy checks plantings behind the Conservatory Caring for this glorious garden under glass—filled with tropical treasures from around the world—is no easy task, but Todd enjoys his work in such exotic surroundings. “It takes a lot of effort to keep the Conservatory looking so lush and beautiful,” said Todd. “All these plant species have different moisture needs, so we spend the first several hours of each day watering everything by hand—it helps us keep a close eye on the thousands of plants in our care.” Tropical Plant Treasures Pink anthurium thrive in the Conservatory Todd has been part of Biltmore’s Conservatory staff for the more than four years. Prior to joining the estate, he worked as a horticulturalist for a historic estate in southwest Florida, which gave him an appreciation for tropical plantings. “I focus on adding to the diversity of what we offer in the Conservatory,” Todd said. “We have some palms that are very old, and some Cycads that date back to the time of the Vanderbilts, but we’re always adding new things for guests to discover and enjoy.” Painting with Plants Todd incorporates colorful foliage into his designs Along with his horticultural skills, Todd has a background in fine art, including painting and photography. His work in the Conservatory gives him a living canvas for expressing his creativity. A hand-drawn sketch shows details of a planting in the Conservatory “From flowers to foliage, there are so many colors and textures to work with that it really is like ‘painting with plants’. My designs often begin with the color and pattern of foliage and how I can best create multi-level displays that intrigue our guests and engage their imagination,” said Todd. A special project in 2019 In 2019, Biltmore Gardens Railway included this replica of the Bass Pond spillway in the Conservatory In addition to his regular responsibilities, Todd was instrumental in preparing the Conservatory to host Biltmore Gardens Railway in 2019. The charming botanical model train display featured replicas of estate landmarks, handcrafted in meticulous detail from such all-natural elements as leaves, bark, and twigs. “Once the structures and the trains were installed, we had to create displays around them that both complemented the exhibition and showcased the Conservatory itself as one of Biltmore’s historic gardens,” Todd said. “It was an enormous project, but our guests really enjoyed it!” Biltmore Gardens Railway returns in 2020 Biltmore Gardens Railway in Antler Hill Village Biltmore Gardens Railway returns to Biltmore this summer; you can enjoy it in Antler Hill Village from July 7 through September 7, 2020. This year, the botanical model train display will showcase iconic American railway stations, some of which have ties to the Vanderbilt family. Featured blog image: Todd Roy displays a brilliantly-colored bromeliad in Biltmore’s Conservatory