Biltmore Bloom Report
May 2, 2024
Biltmore’s Director of Horticulture tells you what’s blooming when (and where!) across the estate.
Walking through our gardens this time of year is a delight. As squirrels play hide-and-seek and birds compete for best song, the plants deliver wave upon wave of spring color. Flowering Dogwoods, which have just begun to fade, will soon be upstaged by full-bloom Kousa Dogwoods.
Deciduous Azaleas continue to show off, and have now been joined by Rhododendrons. The big, bold blossoms of Rhododendrons create additional visual interest alongside the Azaleas’ more delicate blooms. Chestnuts and Buckeyes in the gardens and at The Inn are in full bloom. At the estate’s entrance and within the Walled Garden, our gardeners have replaced the bulbs with spring annuals, adding new layers of color and texture.
Early blooming perennials—Peonies, Solomon’s Seal, Bluestar, Mayapple, Dicentra—are all reaching peak bloom right now, and our Rose Garden shows more blooms each week. With a weather forecast calling for above-normal temperatures, we can expect peak Rose bloom to arrive earlier this year. To enjoy the colors and scents of the earliest bloomers, visit us today.
—Bill Quade, Director of Horticulture
What's Blooming This Week
As you make your way to Biltmore’s glass-ceilinged Conservatory, spend some time admiring the Walled Garden’s pattern beds, which brim with Digiplexus, Dianthus, and African Daisies.
White Wisteria blooms spill amid light green leaves, filling this area of Biltmore’s Walled Garden with their gentle fragrance.
One of the Conservatory’s many stunning displays, this lush oasis features Hydrangeas, Peace Plant, and Begonias.
Ornate benches invite you to linger longer in Biltmore’s Walled Garden, where blue Irises and Lupine nestle among lush greenery.
Early Roses in bright shades of red dazzle within the Shrub Garden just below Biltmore House.
Near Biltmore’s Shrub Garden, Rhododendron blooms offer up pops of palest pink.
The smooth trunks of Crepe Myrtle, frothy white Deutzia blossoms, a vigorous Horse Chestnut tree, and just a glimpse of Biltmore House—find this view within Biltmore’s Shrub Garden.
From atop their slender green stems, vivid blue Iris blooms welcome you to the Village Green as Cedric’s® Tavern looks on.
In front of the Winery, this lush bed features a variety of plants that includes guest-favorite Allium, the large purple ball-shaped blooms of which add a touch of whimsy.
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.
