7 Simple Ways To Prep Your Party!

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From formal dances and masquerade balls to light-hearted garden parties on the lawn, celebrations at Biltmore House were always held in style.

Ready to host your own elegant soiree or homespun hoe-down? Here are our top picks to make your party preparations easier and your event memorable:

1. Choose a theme
The easiest way to kick-off your party prep is to choose a theme. Be inspired by the life and times of Cornelia Vanderbilt who grew up in the Jazz Age and consider a 1920s era Gatsby Party or a Downton Abbey-style garden party or festive tea.

2. Color palette
Just as brides select wedding colors to help keep things coordinated and under control, a pair of pretty colors will make some of your choices easier. For example, we love the fresh look of green and yellow together for a summer-themed party.

3. Party favors
Get creative! Add a meaningful quote to a print you love and roll it up gently, like a scroll, and tie with a pretty ribbon. Your guests can frame them for display in their home or office as a reminder of a wonderful gathering with friends and family.

4. Make it memorable
Offer one or two truly distinctive elements that get people excited and keep them talking about your party. Ideas include renting a Photo Booth to preserve all those fun faces or providing old-fashioned lawn games to fire up a competitive spirit.

5. Do it differently
Use your garden statuary as a stunning centerpiece or use your birdbath as a temporary wine chiller. Our Hospitality Pineapple is the age-old symbol of hospitality and our Ramp Douce Tortoise is inspired by the stone turtles at the terraced stairway at Biltmore. 

6. Take it outside
Make a statement by moving some of your favorite furniture pieces outside, like we've done with our Beverage Cart. It will really change the “landscape” of your yard or garden and surprise your guests. Also, don’t limit yourself to paper and plastic just because you’re in the yard—enjoy your pretty serveware outside, too. 

7. Simple & Personal
To keep the party prep simple while still adding your personal touch, consider easy additions to something you pick up ready-made—like fresh fruit for the sorbet or crushed candy bars as an ice cream topping.

Here’s a summer party idea we love: turn plain iced tea into a refreshing Southern Raspberry Iced Tea!

Get the recipe here. 

Click here to discover more Biltmore For Your Home products.

 

Here's to a great party!

Summertime Strolling in the Gardens-Q & A with Parker Andes

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We love the long days of summer at Biltmore, especially in the gardens. There’s just something special about an early morning or late afternoon stroll along the winding paths through the Shrub Garden and down into the Walled Garden. Summertime is when this garden is really full of itself! Tropical plantings mix with manicured patterns to create what we think is a Monet landscape come to life.

Tropical plants and palms figure heavily into the mix to create the effect, and relate closely to what Biltmore’s original landscape architect, Frederick Law Olmsted, envisioned. His plan called for Biltmore’s summertime gardens to mix tropical elements into manicured areas, as was the style in the late 1890s. Biltmore's horticulture team works diligently to stay true to that vision. We asked Parker Andes, director of that team, to share some fun tidbits about the gardens this year, and what it takes to insure Olmsted's ideas are alive and well on the estate. 

Open House Blog:  How many types of plants are in the Walled Garden pattern beds this year?

Parker Andes:  There are 18 different types of plants in the Walled Garden pattern beds for summer 2014.

OHB:  How many specific plants are in the pattern beds?

PA:  Roughly 14,000.

OHB:  What is typical summertime bloom span?

PA:  From June through late September as the weather allows.

OHB:  What colors will we see in the Walled Garden this year?

PA:  Purple, peach and lime green. Chartreuse, blue and lavender will also make an appearance. 

OHB:  How many gardeners and how many hours does it take to care for the Walled Garden?

PA:  It takes six people roughly 40 hours a week, totaling up to 240 hours a week.

OHB:  What is the largest lily pad in the Italian Garden pools?

PA:  The Victorian lily pad. In the tropics of South America, they can grow to 10 feet or more in diameter and have been known to support the weight of a small child. For our plants at Biltmore, the leaves will get to 2.5 to 3 feet wide since the air is cooler.  Ours don’t support a small child but Green Herons can be seen standing on the leaves early in the mornings, hunting for tadpoles.

OHB:  What should guests look out for on their next visit?

PA:  One of my favorite perennials in the Walled Garden that is quite unique is the Pineapple Lily. The Sparkling burgundy variety has a dark foliage bulb with a bloom cluster that looks like a pineapple. 

OHB:  What are some other fun facts about Biltmore's summer gardens that come to mind?

PA:  Daylilies! We have lots of them. The American Daylily Society will hold its national meeting in Asheville this summer, so as a tribute and with their assistance, we’ve planted hundreds of them throughout the estate, from the Walled Garden to Antler Hill Village. Guests will see some of the latest hybrids of daylilies. 

OHB:  We recently heard that there are actual grapes growing in the Walled Garden, which we didn't realize. Is that true? 

PA:  It is. The Arbor that runs down the center of the garden has four different grape varieties growing on it. They're named after four rivers: Catawba, Concord, Niagara and Delaware.

OHB: What is one of your favorite aspects of the Walled Garden in summer?

PA:  There is a trellis along the wall that provides support for plants we prune and groom in the “espalier” style. The plants we maintain in this style are apples, pears, apriums, wisteria, Rose of Sharon and pyracantha. The word “espalier” is French, and it comes from the Italian “spalliera,” meaning “something to rest the shoulder against.” The purpose is to save space and control the plant growth for the production of fruit. We prune and tie the branches to a frame, and set the frame flat against the wall. We prune ours for the ornamental aspect of it rather than fruit production. However, ours do flower and produce some fruit.

Top photo: The Walled Garden, summer 2013.

Inset photo:  Parker Andes, Biltmore's director of horticulture.

“Miracle On The Hudson” Wins the 2014 Biltmore International Rose Trials Competition

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The second trial in the Biltmore International Rose Trials competition came to a close this past Saturday when an international jury selected the winning roses in 11 categories.

“Miracle On The Hudson,” bred by Robert Neal Rippetoe in California, took the George & Edith Vanderbilt Award for Most Outstanding Rose. “Miracle” also took the top spot in three additional categories: the Chauncey Beadle Award for Best Shrub Rose; the William Cecil Award for Best Growth Habit; and the Lord Burleigh Award for Most Disease Resistant.

Since 2011, Biltmore’s Rose Garden has been home to the trials in which more than 90 varieties from growers and breeders worldwide have been planted and cared for by Biltmore’s expert horticulturalists. Each trial lasts two years and a permanent jury judges the roses four times per year. During this year’s competition, the international and permanent juries conducted the final round of judging for the trial group of 29 roses planted in 2012.

Before entering their roses into trials and competition, breeders work on their creations for four or five years prior. The roses judged this year were from Canada, France, Ireland, Germany, the UK and the U.S. Rose trials are a more common occurrence in Europe, with trials held in 20 different locations in 15 countries. 

New rose varieties will be planted for trials each May. They are evaluated for garden performance, fragrance, disease resistance and ability to be used in varying landscape situations. The next awards will be in 2015 for the trials planted in 2013 and will continue annually.

Congratulations to all of the winners of the second annual Biltmore International Rose Trials!

“Miracle On The Hudson,” bred by Neal Rippetoe of California, winner George & Edith Vanderbilt Award for Most Outstanding Rose Of The Trials (Best in Show); Chauncey Beadle Award for Best Shrub Rose; William Cecil Award for Best Growth Habit; and Lord Burleigh Award for Most Disease Resistant. Available through Roses Unlimited. 
 

Award of Excellence For Best Established Rose
“Honorine de Brabant”

Frederick Law Olmsted Award for Best Groundcover
“Sweet Drift” bred by Meilland in France, distributed by Star Roses and Plants available at garden centers nationwide.

Edith Wharton Award for Best Floribunda
“Tequila Supreme” bred by Meilland in France, distributed by Star Roses and Plants available at garden centers nationwide.

The Honorable John Cecil Award for Open Group
“Pookah” – polyantha bred in California by James Delahanty and available through Burlington Rose Nursery in California.

Gilded Age Award for Best Climber
“Bajazzo” bred in Germany by Kordes, available through Roses Unlimited.

Pauline Merrell Award for Best Hybrid Tea
“Francis Meilland” bred by Meilland in France, distributed by Star Roses and Plants available in garden centers nationwide.

Cornelia Vanderbilt Cecil Award for Most Fragrant Rose

“Munstead Wood” bred in the UK by David Austin Roses and available in the U.S. through David Austin Roses in Tyler, TX.

Top photo: International Rose Trials jury member Susan V. Fox gets in close to enjoy the scent of “Bajazzo,” winner of Best Climber category. 

Bringing Spring Ahead Of Schedule

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Sometimes in the midst of winter—with a little help from our Conservatory—spring arrives a bit ahead of schedule.

“Gardeners have been forcing blooms for centuries,” said Parker Andes, Director of Horticulture, “and the practice became especially popular in the 19th century. As many wealthy Victorians added conservatories to their homes, they could enjoy the look and the scent of delicate bulbs even in the coldest months of winter.”

According to our archives, in February 1908, Chauncey Beadle, Biltmore’s Garden Superintendent, wrote to Storrs & Harrison Nursery of Ohio ordering fruit stock of cherries and apricots “for placing in tubs in preparation for forcing later on in the greenhouse.” This effort would have enabled the Vanderbilts and house guests to enjoy a hint of spring before it actually came.

The Conservatory is Parker’s favorite garden in the winter, and she enjoys the beauty and the cozy warmth it provides to complement the year-round lush greenery and tropical foliage of palms, ferns, and other warm climate exotics.

“Along with the orchids and other beautiful plants in the Conservatory this time of year, we add containers of spring bulbs that have been forced to bloom. Look for containers of daffodils, hyacinths, and tulips during this period,” Parker said. “We’ll rotate them every couple of weeks until mid-April.”

Branching Out For Spring


For a more informal look, consider forcing flowering spring branches—here are some easy tips to help you “branch out” on your schedule rather than waiting for Mother Nature to do it for you!

For a springscape arrangement, choose early bloomers like crabapple, forsythia, and spiraea branches for forcing. Just remember that the forcing process can take anywhere from one to eight weeks, so the closer branches are cut to their natural blooming time, the quicker they will bloom. With a little extra effort and planning, you’ll have all the beautiful blooms you need to brighten any room or make any occasion more special.

Items Needed
Sharp cutting/pruning shears
Access to flowering shrubs
A warm, humid space (bathroom, kitchen, sunroom, etc.)
5-gallon bucket or other large container
Spray bottle
Decorative Biltmore tin planter or container

Directions
Gather branches on a day when temperatures are above freezing, or on a warm, rainy day.

Cut branches 1–3 feet long on a slant with sharp shears. Always keep the shape of the tree or shrub in mind as you are pruning.

Immediately place twigs in a bucket with tepid water (remove all buds from the part of the stem that will be under water) and keep in warm, humid room.

Re-cut the stems and change the water every few days. Spray stems with water if humidity in room is low.

Tips:
The easiest branches to force are those that are early season bloomers: Almond, Apple, Cornelian Cherry Dogwood, Crabapple, Daphne, Forsythia, Pear, Plum Pussywillow, Quince, Spiraea, Winter Honeysuckle, Winter Jasmine, Wisteria, Witch Hazel

Branches bearing larger flowers like Deciduous Magnolias, Dogwood, Japanese Maple, and Mock Orange should be left on the shrub until their buds are large and well-developed. 

Organizing In Style

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The old saying “a place for everything and everything in its place” is a good motto to keep in mind whether you’re organizing your entire home or specific rooms. Items like books and magazines need to be handy, but they can pile up over time. Keep them collected in one of our pretty tin containers and you’ll always know where to find that article you wanted to read.

Here are some other great ideas for organizing other items that need to stay contained in a specific space:

• Roll up hand towels and keep them in a small tin container in your powder room. They take up less space and yet remain easily accessible for guests. Also works well for towels and wash cloths in your guest bath.
• Place a tin container on the stairs (close to the rail) for each member of your family. Small, loose items can be dropped there to be put away later.
• Choose a taller, narrow container to keep utensils together by the kitchen sink

Our decorative tins are available in so many sizes and shapes that you can easily organize almost anything. The collection was inspired by the design elements and patterns found throughout Biltmore House and across the estate. The containers offer a vintage feel that pairs well with any décor.

Tip: Containers are suitable for indoor and outdoor use and are perfect for table-top arrangements and container plantings.

Shop our collection of tin container online here. 

Biltmore’s hidden garden

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Nestled in the heart of Biltmore’s landscape is a secret garden. Well, maybe not “secret” since it’s contained in the Conservatory, which sparkles as the centerpiece of the Walled Garden.

But it can certainly be considered an “overlooked” garden, because so many guests walk or drive past it without ever opening its lovely arched doors.

When you do venture inside, you are transported to another world—a tropical jungle of ferns, palm trees, and exotic blooms that rivals any South Beach hotspot. No matter the weather, the climate indoors welcomes you with a heady perfume that combines fragrant flowers and damp earth to create a treat for your senses.

Exhibition Room door displayThe transition is quite deliberate, and is based upon George Vanderbilt’s original vision for the Conservatory. In the late 1800s, vast glass structures like Biltmore’s Conservatory were the ultimate statement of luxurious living, exhibiting hundreds of blooming flowers, exotic plants, and delicate orchids in abundance.

At the turn of the 19th century, gardening was widely viewed as a healing pastime as well as an opportunity to showcase collections of rare and unique plants. A generation of wealthy collectors dotted the nation with lavish conservatories inspired by similar structures found on Europe estates, including Longwood Conservatory in Pennsylvania and Lyndhurst Conservatory in New York.

While serious gardeners were determined to provide optimal growing conditions for their plants, many owners chose to entertain friends and family amid giant palms and luscious orchids, A few commissioned plant hunters to travel the world’s most remote locations to seek out rare specimens.

Tree fernArchival records indicate George Vanderbilt furnished his Conservatory in a more typical manner—by ordering plants from nurseries around the country. A report in the 1894 issue of American Gardening titled “George W. Vanderbilt’s Palms” mentions he fitted out his new conservatory with some of the largest palms under cultivation in the country. The collection included 15 tree ferns imported from Australia years earlier and described the “long dark green leaves of the finest specimens reach twenty feet into the air.” Additional plants included sago palms and several “immense Palmetto palms from South Carolina.”

Today, the Conservatory continues to bring a taste of the tropics to western North Carolina despite winter’s chill. To help Mother Nature, our gardeners have coaxed spring bulbs into early bloom. Daffodils, tulips, and hyacinths brighten the central Palm House and the Cool House now, with Asiatic and oriental lilies adding their intoxicating scent in mid-April. The Cool House also hosts plants who call the subtropics home, including Australian tree ferns like the ones Vanderbilt obtained (although not the same plants), accompanied by banana trees and the evocatively-named Lollipop plants and Shrimp plants.

In the Hot House, you’ll find plants that originate in tropical climes and are familiar as houseplants, such as the philodendron and colocasia (or elephant ear)—but in larger sizes than you’d ever typically see. Among the canopy of foliage, be sure to look for the large Mexican breadfruit.

OrchidsThe orchids are mesmerizing this time of year, brightening even the dreariest of days with amazing colors and forms. The Orchid Room is filled with blooms both recognizable and unusual, from the corsage and lady slipper varieties to more rare examples.

“The lady slipper orchids have lips that look like shoes,” said Marc Burchette, who tends the collection. “We also have small yellow-flowered dancing lady orchids.”

Less common varieties include a large orchid species from Southeast Asia with clusters of red and yellow flowers on a long pendant, and a particularly fragrant orchid with crystalline green blooms from Papua New Guinea

Exotic blooms aside, you really can’t miss the most dramatic plants in the Conservatory, since they are right in front of you! As you enter the Palm House, where the glass roof rises 38 feet high, the towering specimens of Madagascar palm, Bottle palm, and Bismarck Fan palm create a tropical escape in the middle of winter.

Finding Summer Beauty in the Italian Garden

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If you’re visiting Biltmore soon, make a beeline for the Italian Garden. Located adjacent to Biltmore House, this formal garden is in its prime late summer.

View of the Italian Garden and Biltmore House
Filled with numerous varieties of exotic water lilies, tropical bananas, papyrus, and koi fish, the Italian Garden is a sight to behold.

Magical Lilies

Biltmore gardeners Chuck Cissell and Steven Ayers have been hard at work all year ensuring all the elements are in place for spectacular summer blooms. The Italian Garden gets better every year. This year, it is over the top again and this is probably the best year yet for seeing our water lilies.

All three pools feature different water lilies including hardy and tropical varieties. We’re especially fond of our tropical water lilies that open up in the evening and bloom until mid-morning. If you’re an early morning guest or an overnight guest, sneak down to the Italian Garden to enjoy this unique display.

Water lilies in the pools of Biltmore's Italian Garden
Many guests don’t realize that lily blooms only last for three days. Many refer to the bloom process as being “sort of magical.”

The blooms from the tropical lilies sit above the water and feature bright white, pink, red and even blue blossoms. It’s a marvelous sight to see and just another amazing example of nature’s beauty.

If you miss the tropical night blooms, don’t worry. We have planted different varieties, so guests visiting during the day can still enjoy flowers from day blooming tropical and hardy lilies as well. Look for the blooms through the first cold snap, which can be as early as September or as late as October.

Full view of flowers blooming at the Italian Garden Pools at Biltmore
The Italian Garden closely resembles the original blueprint by Olmsted, with the only main difference being the center bed display.

Blooming Blueprint

While the lilies are the one the highlights of the Italian Garden, the pools include an array of other plants. Lotus, Victoria water platters, canna lilies, papyrus, water snowflakes, and purple leaf rice are all in bloom right now.

Perhaps one of the most rewarding aspects of visiting the Italian Garden is the fact that the design intent has remained unchanged since Vanderbilt’s time. Two of the pools have been refurbished, and the Hemlock hedges have recently been replaced with American Holly hedges to stay true to Olmsted’s vision for the garden. The plants used pay homage to gardening notes and plant orders found in estate archives. We don’t do anything different in the Italian Garden than what they did back in George Vanderbilt’s day.

Bring Home the Beauty of the Italian Garden

Water Gardening is easier than you think. Below are some quick tips for creating a backyard water garden:

  • Select a sturdy, large ceramic container that can hold water.
  • Find a location that receives at least eight hours of sunlight, and use pavers or bricks to form a level base for the container.
  • Start with a fool-proof water plant such as tropical water lilies.
  • Plant the water lily in a small plastic container filled with topsoil and plunge the pot into the larger container filled with water. Cover the soil with pebbles or sand to prevent muddy water.
  • The top of the lily’s pot should be eight inches below the surface of the water. If necessary, add bricks or blocks to form a base within the water container. Finish off the water garden by adding water lettuce or other floating plants.
  • Maintain your water garden by cutting spent blooms on the lily and pushing a fertilizer tablet into the lily’s soil every few weeks.

Learn more about our gardens and grounds.

Hope’s Favorite Place

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If you attended a seminar hosted by A Gardener’s Place, you may have met Hope Wright. In addition to her responsibilities as a sales associate in our garden shop, she conducts the free daily seminars on gardening and flower arranging offered throughout the year. Which means Hope is one of the lucky few who can gather materials from Biltmore’s gardens to create beautiful arrangements seen in displays.

Since she’s spent 14 years at A Gardener’s Place, it’s only natural that several of our gardens hold her most preferred locations on the estate.

One of her favorite walks begins at Biltmore House and continues down into the Shrub Garden, bypassing the steps that lead to the Walled Garden. She recommends stopping there to admire the glory of a Weeping Blue Atlas cedar.

As you continue toward the Shrub Garden, take a trail that cuts up to the right. Then turn around to view the many dogwood varieties that thrive here.

“This area is unofficially known as the ‘dogetum’, a take on the word arboretum,” Hope says. “I continue to be amazed at the variety of interesting dogwoods—my favorite is the variegated Weeping Kousa Dogwood.”

The view from this location on the trail is amazing. “You can see a tiny section of the Conservatory through the evergreens, and a fabulous view of the entire Walled Garden,” she says. “I like to sit on the cast iron Victorian bench and take a few moments just to appreciate the scenery.”

In springtime, you can see the tulips in full bloom, but summer also serves up beauty with the Walled Garden bursting with bright annuals. “Take a few minutes to go off the beaten path—there’s always a new sight to behold in every season,” Hope says.

Learn more about our gardens and grounds.

International Rose Trial Winners Announced

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Our first International Rose Trials came to a close on Saturday and our jury selected winning roses in 12 categories.  Since 2011, Biltmore’s historic Rose Garden has been home to the Biltmore International Rose Trials. During this time, more than 75 varieties from growers and breeders worldwide have been planted and cared for by Biltmore’s horticulture team. Each trial lasts two years and a permanent jury judges the roses four times per year. During Saturday’s judging, the jury conducted the final round of judging for the first trial group of 25 roses.

This is the first international trials on the East Coast, and only one of two held in the U.S. Rose trials in Europe are a more common occurrence, with trials held in 20 different locations in 15 countries. ”The trials are a valuable way for the home gardener to learn what roses do well and what may be potential candidates for their own gardens,” said Paul Zimmerman, coordinator of the trials. “Trials of this type are usually open to all rose breeders around the world – from professional to beginner.”

Our own rosarian, Lucas Jack, had an integral part on the rose trials.  “Biltmore’s historic Rose Garden is the perfect setting for trials,” said Jack. “We’ve enjoyed introducing these new varieties to our guests as they stroll through the gardens. It has been an educational experience, and it complements the work we do to care for Biltmore’s collection of heirloom roses.”

New rose varieties will be planted for trials each May. They are evaluated for garden performance, fragrance, disease resistance and ability to be used in varying landscape situations. The next awards will be in 2014 for the trials planted in 2012 and will continue annually.  

The First Biltmore International Rose Trials Winners

 

George & Edith Vanderbilt Award for Most Outstanding Rose Of The Trials (Best in Show)
‘ATHYfalaa’ bred by Mike Athy of Mike Athy Roses, New Zealand

Award of Excellence For Best Established Rose
‘Belinda’s Dream’ bred by Dr. Robert E. Basye, United States (Wisconsin)

Award of excellence for International Jury Favorite
‘ATHYfalaa’ bred by Mike Athy of Mike Athy Roses, New Zealand

Frederick Law Olmsted Award for Best Groundcover
‘Roxy’ bred by Kordes Rosen, Germany

Edith Wharton Award for Best Floribunda
‘Milwaukee Calatrava’ bred by William Radler of Conard-Pyle/Star Roses, United States

The Honorable John Cecil Award for Open Group
‘Sunshine Daydream’ Grandiflora rose bred by Michèle Meilland Richardier, France

Gilded Age Award for Best Climber
‘ATHYfalaa’ bred by Mike Athy of Mike Athy Roses, New Zealand

Pauline Merrell Award for Best Hybrid Tea
‘Beverly’ bred by Kordes Rosen, Germany

Chauncey Beadle Award for Best Shrub
‘Darcey Bussell’ bred by David Austin of David Austin Roses, United Kingdom

Cornelia Vanderbilt Cecil Award for Most Fragrant Rose
‘Beverly’ bred by Kordes Rosen, Germany

William Cecil Award for Best Growth Habit
‘ATHYfalaa’ bred by Mike Athy of Mike Athy Roses, New Zealand

Lord Burleigh Award for Most Disease Resistant
‘ATHYfalaa’ bred by Mike Athy of Mike Athy Roses, New Zealand

The Lovely Azaleas

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Strolling through our 15-acre Azalea Garden in May is a rite of spring, with thousands of bright blossoms lining the stone stairs and masses of vivid flowers cascading throughout the area. In fact, we expect peak azalea color this week.

We have Chauncey Beadle to thank for all of that gorgeous color. Chauncey, a Canadian horticulturalist hired in 1890 by Frederick Law Olmsted for his encyclopedic knowledge of plants, served as estate superintendent from 1909 until his death in 1950.

“Beadle loved all plants, but he had a special fondness for native deciduous azaleas,” said Bill Alexander, Landscape & Forest Historian. “He and two close friends became known as ‘the azalea hunters’ collecting virtually every form and color variation.”

Beadle and his colleagues kept detailed notes about their forays, writing down when and where they collected plants on travels throughout the Southeast. Native azaleas were Beadle’s passion, and he called them the finest American shrubs.

In 1940, he gave his entire collection of azaleas (which he fondly referred to as “his children”) to Biltmore, planting them in the valley below the Conservatory known as the Glen. Edith Vanderbilt changed the garden’s name to the Azalea Garden to honor Beadle and his lifelong work on his 50th anniversary with Biltmore.

Today, gardeners Bob Smart and Charles Harris, members of the estate’s Historic Gardens landscaping crew, are responsible for maintaining Beadle’s legacy and the never-ending upkeep of the Azalea Garden.

“Chauncey Beadle planted several thousand azaleas originally,” said Bob. “We try to keep as many old plants as possible, replacing them when needed with old types and species, but we also bring in new ones to keep the garden thriving.”

Last year, they replanted several hundred azaleas—mostly evergreens—lining the stone stairs at the Azalea Garden’s entrance and added nearly 400 more in the rest of the garden. Charles explains that the eye-catching evergreen varieties have heavier, more prolific blooms and some even re-bloom. They also planted many native deciduous azaleas that display delicate orange, yellow and pink flowers in late spring.

Not all their time is spent planting; they devote hours researching and collecting additional azaleas to keep the garden beautiful. They find plants at trade shows, through the North Carolina Nursery Notes bi-monthly magazine, nurseries, and growers who visit here.

“Sometimes growers we know will visit the garden and suggest a particular addition,” said Charles. “They recognize that it’s an honor to have plants here.”

 

Learn more about our gardens and grounds.