Biltmore Bloom Report
April 18, 2024
Biltmore’s Director of Horticulture tells you what’s blooming when (and where!) across the estate.
Spring at Biltmore is a testament to the wondrous cycle of nature, where every bud and bloom tells a story of renewal and growth. Over the last three springs, the Wisteria that blankets our Shrub Garden Pergola was stricken by cold temperatures just as it started to push blooms. Loaded with an abundance of blooms this year, our Wisteria is an absolute show stopper, catching the eye of all who visit the gardens.
Azaleas are stealing the spotlight in the Shrub and Azalea Gardens, soon to be joined by the majestic blooms of Rhododendrons. Our bulb display is winding down and staff are busy removing the bulbs and planting frost-tolerant annuals. Seasonal beds at the Lodge Gate and Walled Garden will soon be filled with colorful blends of African Daisies, Snapdragons, Kale, Swiss Chard, Pansies, and Dianthus.
The Approach Road is a kaleidoscope of colors, courtesy of Azaleas, Dogwoods, Viburnums, and the delicate blooms of Silverbells cascading down from above. As you meander along Biltmore’s garden paths and explore the grounds near The Inn and throughout Antler Hill Village, the emergence of perennials and later-blooming bulbs like Camassia and Allium offer fresh layers of color. Approaching full bloom in the Spring Garden and in the Village, Hawthorns, like so many of our trees and plants, provide habitat for songbirds and other animals that frequent the estate.
—Bill Quade, Director of Horticulture
What's Blooming This Week
To enjoy the full-bloom Wisteria that graces the Shrub Garden Pergola, as well as vibrant magenta blooms of a nearby Azalea, descend the stairs on the south side of Biltmore House.
Flanked on both sides by white and pink blooming Native Azaleas, this peaceful gravel path awaits you within Biltmore’s Azalea Garden.
Flowering Dogwoods share their crisp white blossoms amid mounds of lilac, white, and magenta Azalea blooms.
Curled fiddleheads of Cinnamon Fern stretch gently skyward in Biltmore’s Azalea Garden.
Clusters of small pink flowers covering the branches of this Tamarisk give it a delicate, feathery appearance: find it in Biltmore’s Shrub Garden.
Lean in close to savor the heady rose-like scent of these blush-pink Peonies in Biltmore’s Walled Garden.
This bench invites you to pause a moment among the Walled Garden’s colorful delights.
Stationed among bright pink Hydrangeas, purple-red Bromeliads, and orchids, botanical replicas of the stately Biltmore House lions greet you in the Conservatory.
Biltmore’s Evolving Landscape
A General Guide to What Blooms When
March Blooms at Biltmore
March usually offers spring’s first pops of color. Witch hazels, with bursts of orange, red, and yellow, are striking against the evergreens. Joining them are early season Daffodils, Lenten rose (Hellebore), Snowdrop, and Hyacinth, which create a splendid lower canopy of color across the estate.
The early blooming shrubs our gardeners have worked so hard to maintain, such as Japanese pieris, Spirea, and Winter jasmine, offer bold statements. The Cornelian cherry dogwood shows off clusters of tiny star-shaped flowers, and the blossoms of white and black pussy willow in the Azalea Garden signal winter’s passing and spring’s imminent arrival. Now brimming with Tulips, Daffodils, and Grape hyacinth, our Conservatory is also home to a stunning collection of Orchids at peak bloom.
April Blooms at Biltmore
Seasonal Tulips and Daffodils steal the show in April, seen in beds at the estate’s entrance, in the Walled Garden, and in Antler Hill Village. The Redbuds, Serviceberry, and Flowering dogwoods show plenty of color throughout the estate, enhancing the drive up the Approach Road and time spent in our gardens.
Each day, new plants bloom in the gardens near Biltmore House; as Forsythia begins to fade, Quince, Viburnum, and Fothergilla step into the spotlight. Azaleas begin to flower in April, and as their blooms continue to intensify, our Azalea Garden becomes a glorious tapestry of hues.
May Blooms at Biltmore
In May, the Mountain laurels, accompanied by the Catawba hybrid rhododendrons, should be in full bloom along the Approach Road and within the gardens, offering a dazzling welcome for Biltmore’s guests. Adding to this lush, colorful display: Kousa dogwood, Sweetshrub, Mock orange, Yellowwood, and Fringe trees.
Peak bloom builds in the Rose Garden with this month’s warm weather, which will push herbaceous perennials toward making bold color statements of their own. Peony, False indigo, and Iris create a rich layer of color throughout the Walled Garden, a lovely complement to the spring annuals and the blooming American wisteria that grows along the east wall. Quite fragrant, these lovely, drooping lilac-to-bluish-purple clusters also adorn the arbor to the Winery and the trellis behind Village Hotel.
June Blooms at Biltmore
Cool mountain mornings make walks through the gardens a truly delightful experience. The annual summer install is complete and tropical plants that spent the winter months inside greenhouses are now outside for everyone to enjoy.
June is a wonderful time to see a variety of Hydrangeas in bloom throughout the gardens, in Antler Hill Village, and at The Inn. Although they offer smaller blossoms than Hydrangea, Abelia is an equally striking plant to see in bloom; it’s such a joy to watch bees dart in and out of the flowers collecting pollen. With June’s warmer days, perennials will undoubtedly add plenty of color within the Walled Garden and smaller beds across the Shrub Garden.
July Blooms at Biltmore
Biltmore is beautiful in July, offering spectacular views for guests to enjoy throughout our gardens and grounds. In Antler Hill Village, wave upon wave of Sunflowers rise skyward and share their cheerful full-bloom faces.
Hydrangeas, Crepe myrtles, Butterfly bush, Vitex, and Sourwood are blooming, adding a variety of vibrant blossoms and a valuable source of nectar for bees, butterflies, and other pollinators.
While strolling the gardens, be sure to stop at the Conservatory to see the incredible tropical displays our gardeners have created which feature Palms, Banana, Bromeliads, Begonia, Ginger, Plumeria, and Tropical hibiscus.
August Blooms at Biltmore
By August, the summer annuals—meticulously tended since May by the estate’s talented gardeners—are in full bloom.
The Water lily display in the Italian Garden is an absolute delight as you begin a stroll through the gardens.
The blossoms of Hydrangeas and Abelia throughout the Shrub Garden highlight the taller blooming Crepe myrtle, Vitex, and Butterfly bushes.
