Plants Unique to Biltmore’s Gardens

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With more than 2.5 miles of paths in our manicured gardens, it’s easy to stumble upon unfamiliar species of plants at Biltmore.

Starting in late May, summer annuals fill the Walled Garden, Estate Entry, and Winery beds. Other estate blooms include roses, perennials, and lush perennial borders in the Walled Garden, Winery, and Antler Hill Village. From June through August, you can find native rhododendron and perennials.

But what about those plants you’re less familiar with? We asked Travis Murray, Walled Garden Crew Leader, about plants unique to our gardens. Here are some of the most unique plants found at Biltmore:

Shiny black coleus

The Shiny black coleus was discovered by John Alexander in the Walled Garden in 2007. At the time, John was the leading gardener over the ornamental turf in the historic gardens and was working for Travis in the Walled Garden. They had planted a border in the pattern beds. The display was a yellow Lantana standard, underplanted with Salvia farinacea ‘Victoria blue,’ bordered with Dark star coleus.

John and the rest of the crew were removing dead flower heads from the salvia in the corners when he pointed out that one of the coleuses looked like it had wet leaves. The coleus was not a whole plant, but a sport, which is a part of a plant that shows variations from the rest of the plant. Sports may show differences in foliage shape or color, flowers, or branch structure.

John and Travis took cuttings of the sport and turned them over to Gardener Mark Waldroop, who propagated those cuttings and cared for them. He grew the plant and watched it closely to monitor any changes, as many do not remain viable and will revert to the mother plant. To ensure viability once the plant was rooted and healthy enough for cuttings, Mark began propagating the sport. After several successful propagations, the sport held its characteristics and a new coleus was born. We named it Little John, after the man who discovered it.

Cercidiphyllum japonicum

The Cercidiphyllum japonicum is one of many unique plants that can be found at Biltmore. Commonly called Katsura tree, it is native to Japan and China. It is a deciduous understory tree with a dense, rounded habit, and bark that resembles an American white oak. It typically matures to 40–60 feet, but can reach 100 feet or more in the wild. The Katsura presents a picture-worthy structure and shape, bearing attractive foliage that resembles those of a small redbud.

Reddish-purple leaves emerge in spring. As the tree releases its sugars to push out new leaves, there is a faint, sweet smell in the air, similar to cotton candy. The leaves mature to medium green with a slight bluish tinge in summer and turn to shades of gold, orange, and red in fall. “In autumn, the fallen leaves have a faint smell of cinnamon, sugar, and apples,” says Travis. The Katsura can be found in the Shrub Garden, with a larger specimen found near the circle in the Azalea Garden.

Eucomis sparkling burgundy

Eucomis sparkling burgundy, or the pineapple lily, can be found in the Walled Garden, particularly in the Victorian border. This unique cultivar has dark burgundy leaves and boasts flowers that form on 20- to 30-inch stalks, bearing tight, smoky, pinkish-purple florets reminiscent of pineapples.

These tender bulbs hail from South Africa. However, we have successfully been able to keep them over winter.

Dracunculus vulgaris

The Dracunculus vulgaris, also known as the voodoo lily or dragon plant, can be found in the Walled Garden and is seeded in the scented border. The plant is native to the Balkans, extending as far as Greece, Crete, and the Aegean Islands.

The species can be identified by a large purple spathe and spadix, which has a somewhat unpleasant smell to attract flies as pollinators. The large palmate leaves have occasional cream flecks along the veins. If ingested, part of the plant is poisonous. The plant opens in May and lasts just a few weeks.

The historic gardens are full of interesting plants and trees, many of which are state champions, such as the Heritage birch, or the Double winged silverbell. There are also the Weeping and Non-weeping blue atlas cedars, and the Metasequoia glyptostroboides (dawn redwood), which is a fast-growing, endangered deciduous conifer. This is the only living species of the genus Metasequoia, one of three species in the subfamily Sequoioideae.

Pools of Delight: Preserving Biltmore’s Italian Garden

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Pools of water in a garden are a delight for all the senses, and the pools in the Italian Garden next to Biltmore House are no exception.

Aerial view of the three pools in the Italian Garden at Biltmore.
Aerial view of the three pools in the Italian Garden.

The Italian Garden was created to offer a tranquil spot for enjoying the magnificent reflections of America’s Largest Home®. The design, which includes three large pools filled with aquatic plants, remains remarkably true to the intention of Frederick Law Olmsted, Biltmore’s landscape architect.

Caring for the Italian Garden pools

For several years, Chuck Cissell’s primary responsibility as a member of Biltmore’s landscaping team has been the Italian Garden with a focus on the aquatic plants in the pools. It’s a job he enjoys year-round, especially when he can be in the pools caring for the breathtaking blooms that reach their peak in the summer months.

Biltmore landscapers wear waders to work in the Italian Garden pools.
Biltmore landscaping team members at work in the Italian Garden pools.

Beginning in the fall, Chuck creates a plan for the Italian Garden pools. He places plant orders in April and May, and completes plant installations in June. Most of the aquatic plants come from Tricker’s Water Gardens—a company that was one of the first commercial water lily growers in the United States. Amazingly, it’s the same supplier that Olmsted used.

“I order many of the same plants that Olmsted used from Tricker’s, but today there are new colors and hardier blooms because they’ve experimented with growing and hybridizing water lilies to improve the shape, colors, and hardiness,” said Chuck.

“We always order new tropical water lilies and Victoria water platters with their huge lily pads. In one pool we have about 50 different lilies, including night-blooming varieties.”

Historic plants in the pools

White lotus in bloom at Biltmore.
White lotus (Nymphaea alba) blooming in the Italian Garden.

In June, you’ll see more than 100 hardy and tropical water lilies begin blooming. The lotus bed display starts in early July.

The lotus flower, which is either blue or white (Nymphaea coerulea or alba), closes up at night and reopens in the morning to reveal a central yellow circle radiating yellow petals. To the ancient Egyptians, this phenomenon reflected the rising of the sun at the dawn of creation, and the flower was honored as an image of daily rebirth and rejuvenation. Depictions of the water lily usually incorporate this symbolism, but the plant was also valued for its medicinal properties as a pain reliever.

Glorious blooms all summer

Biltmore's Italian Garden in peak summer bloom.
Summer beauty at peak bloom in the Italian Garden.

The gigantic platter-shaped Victoria lilies are the largest in late August. For the center pool display, Chuck uses plants including sweet potato vine, hibiscus, sun-tolerant bromeliads, and dwarf cannas.

“I feed and fertilize the water lilies once a week; they are heavy feeders. And we groom three times a week from June to October. Grooming—that means removing the pollinated blooms—helps increase the number of blooms a lily produces,” said Chuck.

Keeping the koi content

Colorful koi in the Italian Garden pools.
Colorful koi in the Italian Garden pools.

The filtration system in the pools is original 1895 technology, using constant water flowing into and out of the pools. The gravity-fed reservoir, which is also used to provide water to Biltmore House, provides water for the pools.

Natural filtration is beneficial to the colorful koi that populate the Italian Garden pools. We know from archival records that Olmsted wanted to have fish in the pools, and while we don’t know exactly when the koi were introduced, at least one is about 50 years old.

Preserving Olmsted’s Italian Garden designs

View of the Italian Garden at Biltmore Estate in Asheville, NC.
The Italian Garden features long-range views of Biltmore House and the mountains behind it.

Because of the sheer volume of receipts, plans, and letters in Biltmore’s garden archives, Biltmore’s gardeners have only gone through a fraction of all the information available.

For Chuck, that’s one of the most important elements of his job. “I really like the historic aspect of gardening here,” he said. “I have the joy of knowing I’m recreating the same thing that the Vanderbilts saw in 1895, and continuing that tradition.”

Featured blog image: Reflection of Biltmore House in the Italian Garden pools

Olmsted’s Deliberate Approach

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The three-mile Approach Road that meanders from Biltmore Village up to Biltmore House is not there by accident—it’s the result of a very intentional and complex design by Frederick Law Olmsted, Biltmore’s landscape designer.

Everything by design

In Olmsted’s own words, “…the most striking and pleasing impression of the Estate will be obtained if an approach can be made that shall have throughout a natural and comparatively wild and secluded character; its borders rich with varied forms of vegetation, with incidents growing of the vicinity of springs and streams and the remote depths of a natural forest.”

The road is a perfect blending of forest and landscape with no hard edges to separate the two. The lack of long-range views is intentional.

“The Approach Road is the first important garden and landscape feature you see on the estate,” said Parker Andes, Director of Horticulture. “It gives you a true feel for Olmsted’s skill.”

approach road during spring
Mountain laurel blooms along approach road

“Along the brook and on the edge of the drive, Olmsted planted low-growing plants. For variety of color in the winter, he used hardy olives, evergreens with an olive tint, junipers, red cedars, and yews,” explained Parker. “All of these created the complexity of light and shadow that define a picturesque style.”

Archival photo of digging crew of Approach Road
George Vanderbilt (front row, far right, in a light-colored hat) and Frederick Law Olmsted (to Vanderbilt’s right) with the crew that dug the Approach Road

Changes through time

Over time, all of Biltmore’s landscapes have matured and changed in appearance. The challenge for today’s landscaping team lies in determining Olmsted’s original intent for the approach road, and they use archival resources such as early plans, letters of correspondence written during the construction of the estate, and information about Olmsted’s design philosophies to help them stay true to the original vision.

Sometimes, variations from the approach road plan are necessary. For example, Olmsted planted some exotic plants that were not invasive at that time, including Oriental bittersweet, mahonia, and barberry. We’ve replaced those with others plants that offer similar characteristics and looks. We also now know that certain plants will not thrive where originally planted, so we select others that are able to do well in those original locations. “It’s a continual learning process, and each year I discover something new,” said Parker.

Fall on the Approach Road at Biltmore
Leaf peeping on the Approach Road during fall is a favorite past time for visitors.

Best-kept secrets: Biltmore’s alley gardens

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With acres of vivid colors and lush plantings, the gardens of Biltmore are so breathtaking that some guests never venture inside the Conservatory during the summer months. According to Jordana Chalnick, Conservatory Horticulturist, however, those who stay outside are missing out on some very special displays in the “back alleys” of the Conservatory.

A working conservatory

“Biltmore’s Conservatory was originally designed to be a functional workspace for growing and nurturing plants as well as an indoor garden space for guests,” said Jordana. “We continue to use it for both purposes today, and we also create intriguing displays that draw visitors through the Conservatory and into the alleys behind it.”

Jordana has been with Biltmore since 2006, putting her horticulture degree to use first in the Azalea Garden and then in the Conservatory. She became Conservatory Horticulturalist in 2013 and has been instrumental in creating the displays that make the Conservatory a must-see during any Biltmore visit.

Alleys of the Conservatory

“In the mid-1990s, there were just a few hanging baskets and some of the larger trees in the alleys,” Jordana said. “Gradually, the staff began lining the alley walls with plants and then over the years adding under-plantings to the larger pots. The alleys have definitely evolved from what they were initially to the more designed and elaborate displays we do today.”

Heating up and keeping cool

Jordana noted that there are actually two alleys—one between the cool room and the sitting room and one between the hot room and the sitting room.

This year, the cool alley, which was designed by Conservatory Gardener Kathryn Marsh, features fragrant plants that create a shady respite from the sun during the hot summer months. Having all the different fragrances makes it a nice space in which to take break and relax for a while.

The hot alley features water plants using dwarf versions of many of the species in the Italian Garden.

“I’ve always liked the idea of displaying the water plants in a way that guests can have closer access to them than they do in the Italian pools,” Jordana said. “I took lots of inspiration from pictures of gardens in Bali and Thailand where they incorporate water plants seamlessly into the landscape as opposed to having a special area for them.”

Alley installation

As far as installing the alleys, the Conservatory crew does as much as possible ahead of time. They received most of the cool alley’s fragrant plants from Florida in March, and the dwarf lotus plants for the hot alley were stored in the Italian Garden pools until early June.

Lotus Flower in Italian Garden Pool

“We already have a general idea of which plants will go in which alley, so we will generally load up a truck load for one alley, haul it up and unload it,” said Jordana. “We have one reserve worker who helps us and we definitely get a lot of help from everyone in Historic Gardens, since our crew is pretty small and installing the alleys is a huge project.”

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Hibiscus Flower

Now that the alley plantings are installed, the Conservatory crew will maintain them throughout the summer, watering, grooming and deadheading as needed. The alleys will stay in until around mid-September when the plants need to start transitioning back to the greenhouses for winter.

“I love my job,” Jordana said, “because I get to use my creativity in designing displays as well as using all of my horticultural knowledge to keep plants happy and healthy.”

Explore Our Favorite Outdoor Rooms

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Every season offers a wonderful reason to explore our favorite outdoor rooms at Biltmore, but summer is an especially perfect time to do so.

Frederick Law Olmsted

Known as the “father of American landscape architecture,” Frederick Law Olmsted had definitive ideas about landscape design.

You can see many of his innovative ideas in New York City’s Central Park and here at Biltmore, which was his last professional project before his death in 1903.

Enjoy the outdoors, by design

View of the Approach Road in spring
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.

For the magnificent estates he landscaped, Olmsted preferred longer-than-usual approach drives and separate garden spaces or “outdoor rooms” that were distinct from one another with no blending of styles.

The methods Olmsted used for creating special spaces are very noticeable in spring and when the gardens and grounds begin to bloom with color.

Explore our favorite outdoor rooms

When Biltmore employees were asked to share their favorite outdoor rooms around the estate, their answers were a tribute to all that Olmsted envisioned to enchant the Vanderbilts and their guests more than a century ago.

Italian Garden

Italian Garden at Biltmore
The Italian Garden is spectacular in summer

Parker Andes, Director of Horticulture, has a favorite spot tucked away in the Italian Garden.

“There’s a terra cotta cherub fountain in the last little turf area near the end of the garden,” said Parker. “Most people miss this treasure because they don’t walk all the way down there.”

Spring Garden

The Spring Garden at Biltmore
Some of the earliest blooms at Biltmore appear in the sheltered Spring Garden

Cathy Barnhardt, former Floral Displays Manager for Biltmore, is now retired and enjoying the estate as an Annual Passholder.

“The Spring Garden is like a little valley that opens up off the beaten path. The grass gets green there first and flowers bloom early,” said Cathy. “It’s a great place to spend time with your family.”

Azalea Garden

Kids in Biltmore's Azalea Garden
Guests of all ages love discovering Biltmore’s “outdoor rooms” like the Azalea Garden

Another special location mentioned by several staff members is a bench at the top of the Spring Garden. From this vantage point, you can look down into the Azalea Garden and also have a view of the distant mountains.

Another not-to-be-missed favorite outdoor room is the Azalea Garden with all its varieties, colors, and sweet fragrances of azalea to enjoy.

Explore our favorite outdoor rooms
Stone steps in the Azalea Garden invite further exploration

“Although the Azalea Garden wasn’t part of Olmsted’s original plan, it makes perfect use of a wooded space,” noted Parker. “The blooms are spectacular in late spring, so be sure to take time to walk down the stone steps—another technique Olmsted used to divide outdoor rooms—and stroll down the path there, noticing the stream lined with wild flowers and unusual conifers.”

Bass Pond Boat House

Boat House at the Bass Pond is a hidden gem of Biltmore
The view of the Bass Pond from the Boat House is worth the walk!

Below the Azalea Garden, Hope Wright of A Gardener’s Place–one of the charming shops on the estate–loves walking down the path to the Bass Pond.

“I stop on the bridge going toward the Boat House and sit on the bench,” Hope said. “This is a favorite spot of mine in the spring and summer as I look back upon the stunning beauty I have just witnessed.”

Plan your getaway today!

Family activities at Biltmore
Explore our glorious gardens and grounds all year long!

Ready to explore our favorite outdoor rooms and discover which ones you like best?

Consider becoming an Annual Passholder so you can return and discover something new in every season.

A Good Life for Wildlife

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Biltmore Estate in Asheville, NC, welcomes more than a million guests each year—and those are just the ones who come through the gates! In addition to our visitors and Passholders, our 8,000-acre backyard is also home to a wide variety of wildlife and birds, including deer, rabbits, turkeys, and migratory waterfowl.

Row Crops at Biltmore
In addition to the colorful sunflowers that bloom in the summer, soybeans, wheat, legumes, and millet are planted in our rich fields on the west side of the estate.

Cultivating care across the estate

We caught up with Kyle Mayberry, Director of Agriculture, and Vince Helton, Senior Director of Facility Operations, to get the ‘outside’ scoop. “We average about 450 acres of field crops each year and 29 of those acres are designated for wildlife food plots,” Kyle explained.

While most of these crops are harvested to feed our cattle, sheep, and other farm animals, there’s still plenty left for wildlife and birds. Smaller plantings of radishes, canola, soybeans, corn, and sorghum are grown around the estate to provide nourishment through the harsh winter months, for our four-legged and feathered friends.

Chimney Swift Tower at Biltmore
Chimney Swifts spend nearly their entire lives in the air, eating, drinking, bathing, and gathering nesting material, landing only to roost and nest.

A new home for Chimney Swifts

Our dedication to creating a welcoming environment extends far beyond our fields and into some unique conservation projects. One such initiative focused on chimney swifts, a small migratory bird renowned for its spectacular flight patterns and distinctive roosting habits. These birds have been facing challenges as traditional nesting sites become inaccessible. To help, we built a custom-designed chimney swift tower on the estate, providing them with the perfect roosting spot.

Biltmore Grown Honey and Sunflower Oil
Biltmore® Grown honey and sunflower oil can be purchased at the Farmyard and in estate shops.

The buzz behind Biltmore® Grown

Our commitment to the environment extends to our smallest residents too! Busy bees play a key role in producing Biltmore® Grown sunflower oil. They stay hard at work buzzing more than 140,000 blooms, their tireless efforts transforming each blossom into a seed of potential.

“We take pride in providing these pollinators with abundant nectar sources across the estate,” Kyle said, “ensuring they have everything they need to create high-quality products, like our sunflower oil and honey, for use in our restaurants and for guests to purchase in our shops.”

Group of people bird watching from a rafting tour at Biltmore.
Strap on your life jackets and get your binoculars ready for a trip down the French Broad on our river birding tour.

Discover the call of the wild

“Being good stewards of the land applies to the natural wildlife that exists here, and it’s just as important to maintain healthy populations—something we have been committed to since the days of George Vanderbilt,” said Vince. “We follow the NC Wildlife Resources Commission’s recommendations for monitoring and managing wildlife to ensure the safety of our guests, grounds, and wildlife.”

As always, our guests’ safety is of paramount concern, and we remind you not to approach estate wildlife or birds. In addition, while dogs are welcomed on estate grounds as long as they are securely leashed, state law prohibits pets from entering fenced enclosures protecting farm animals. Visit our complete wildlife viewing policy here.

Interested in learning more? We’ve got plenty of outdoor activities aimed at educating our guests about our wildlife friends and their diverse habitats! Consider going on a guided bird walk or getting up close and personal in our falconry class!

An outdoor sculpture comes clean

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An outdoor sculpture comes clean, with help from the expert conservators at Biltmore.

“From the iconic marble lions in front of Biltmore House to terra cotta figures, bronzes, and more, the estate features 37 pieces of outdoor sculpture and historic plaques,” said Kara Warren, Preventive Conservation Specialist.

Marble lion sculpture in front of Biltmore House.
One of the two grand marble lion sculptures that guard the Front Door of Biltmore House.

According to Kara, each piece of outdoor sculpture is carefully examined and photographed every six months to determine its “health” and what type of cleaning, stabilization, or repairs might be needed.

There are four sphinx sculptures atop stone pillars guarding the massive iron entry and exit gates through which guests pass to get their first glimpse of Biltmore House.

The sphinx appears in Egyptian and Greek mythology as a creature with a human head and torso–usually female–and the hindquarters of a lion. Egypt’s massive Great Sphinx of Giza sculpture is probably the best-known example in the world.

The following photos illustrate how important Biltmore’s process is and what a difference cleaning and preservation make:

An outdoor sphinx statue at Biltmore before the cleaning process.
This elegant sphinx guards the right side of the North Gate entrance to Biltmore House.

This sphinx is turned as if to watch the Approach Road while the sphinx on the opposite side of the North Gate looks toward Biltmore House. The sculpture was in need of a thorough cleansing to rid it of biological growth. Scaffolding was built around the sphinx so our conservators could clean it in place.

Half of an outdoor sphinx sculpture at Biltmore has been carefully cleaned to show the remarkable difference proper cleaning makes.
Conservators carefully cleaned half of the sphinx to show the remarkable difference proper care makes.

Biltmore’s preservation experts worked on half of the sculpture at a time to illustrate different stages of the cleaning process. Note how much detail is revealed when the dark biological growth was removed from the hindquarters of this sphinx.

One of four outdoor sphinx statues at Biltmore
This outdoor sphinx sculpture at Biltmore’s North Gate has been cleaned and restored to her full glory.

After a thorough cleaning, the classic sphinx sculpture once again welcomes guests to Biltmore House in regal style. 

Learn more about our extensive process to document, clean, and preserve our outdoor sculpture collection.

The Art of Biltmore’s Open-Air Museum

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Frederick Law Olmsted selected the major plantings at Biltmore with the utmost attention. Each had a specific purpose: to provide a certain color, texture or function, such as shade or height. But the manmade features of the gardens−statuary and planters−are more like the icing on the cake, hitting graceful notes throughout the landscape. So, what do we know about the artwork in Biltmore’s open air museum?

“To our knowledge, Olmsted did not specify any statuary at Biltmore,” says Bill Alexander, Biltmore’s Landscape and Forest Historian. Research shows most of the statues were purchased in the late 1800s in France and Italy by George Vanderbilt and Richard Morris Hunt, Biltmore’s architect. It’s likely that Olmsted did play a role in the placement of the statues because the three men worked so closely on every aspect of the design of Biltmore House and Gardens.

Classic Influences

Walking through the gardens, you’ll notice a number of statues featuring characters from Greek myth. The four terra cotta figures on the South Terrace—Faun, Adonis, Venus, and Hamadryad—are modeled after originals created by Antoine Coysevox, a prolific sculptor from the 17th century. If you look closely at the figure at the far right end of the Terrace, you’ll see Coysevox’s maker’s mark.

In the Italian Garden, you’ll find several variations of late-19th-century putti—winged figures that were popular in both statuary and painting during the Italian Renaissance. The small terra cotta angel located at the end of the Italian Garden is based on a work of art that’s housed in the Louvre. Although there’s a fountain bowl in front of this putto, Kara Warren, Preventive Conservation Specialist, says there is no record that water was ever used in the fountain.

Aging Naturally

Whether made from bronze, marble, limestone, granite, or terra cotta, each outdoor statue has to weather the elements. Storms and environmental pollutants have taken their toll of them over the last century. According to Kara, some repairs and restorations date back to 1934.

“Reading the descriptions of repair work from our archival records is like having a mini history lesson. Each repair documents the care the statue received over the year. Today, we occasionally need to repair the repairs, replacing corroded iron elements with stainless steel or replacing mortar that has crumbled over time,” she continues.

Near the stairway leading from the house to the Italian Garden, you’ll notice the Italian white marble statue that’s known as “The Dancing Lesson.” The original, made of terra cotta, was replaced by this copy in the 1970s after it was damaged in a storm.

Perhaps Biltmore’s most famous statue, Diana, goddess of the hunt, located on the hill overlooking the house, met a similar fate. The original terra cotta work, based on a marble housed in the Louvre, was replaced with today’s marble version carved by H. Whinery Oppice in the 1970s.

In Harmony with Nature

As you walk through the gardens, statuary sometimes plays a supporting role to the ever-changing natural beauty that takes center stage. But each garden element is an important part of this living landscape that has been recognized as a National Historic Landmark.

Preserving History in Biltmore’s Italian Garden

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Filled with numerous varieties of exotic water lilies, tropical bananas, papyrus, and koi fish, the Italian Garden pays tribute to George Vanderbilt and Frederick Law Olmsted’s vision each year. Although it’s is one of the most visited areas on the estate, many guests do not realize this special garden is astoundingly accurate to Frederick Law Olmsted’s original design in 1895.

Beautiful photo of Biltmore's Italian Garden with house reflecting off water
The Italian Garden’s 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 preserve Olmsted’s visions.

Century-Old Traditions

In early spring, Biltmore gardeners strategically choose which lilies they will order from Tricker’s Water Gardens – the very same supplier that Olmsted used in 1895. The William Tricker Company was one of the first commercial water lily growers in the United States, experimenting with growing and hybridizing water lilies to improve the shape, colors, and hardiness. Olmsted’s keen eye took note of these unique beauties and deemed them a perfect fit for Biltmore, an idea that still rings true today.

From planting to grooming to cleaning, the Italian Gardens require extensive maintenance. We plant each lily in a 45-gallon nursery pot with a mixture of clay and manure. Then we use a Bobcat to lift each plant into the pool, a process that is no doubt far easier than in 1895. Although “plant metabolism” is a foreign term to most aquatic plant novices, lilies are heavy feeders. We fertilize once a week and groom three times a week throughout the season, usually June to October. Grooming is especially important because the more pollinated blooms you remove, the more new blooms it will produce.

In addition to the lilies themselves being originally sourced from Tricker’s, the pool filtration features the original 1895 technology as well. It’s a natural system with constant water flowing into and out of the pools. The original gravity-fed reservoir provides the water for the pools, which is also used to provide water to the house. This natural filtration is especially beneficial to the dozens of koi swimming about – one of which our gardeners say is close to 50 years old!

Italian Garden pool cleaning during fall.
Meticulous attention is devoted to preserving the pristine condition of the Italian Garden pools.

Magical Lilies of the Italian Garden

Each year, our team gets excited to see the new hybrids and cross-varieties that Tricker’s Water Gardens offers. They order many of the exact plants featured in 1895, but now with new colors and hardier blooms that Tricker’s has cultivated over the years. Each pool is strategically planned and includes several varieties of night-blooming lilies, the distinct Victoria Water Platters, hardy lilies, and various banana trees and shrubs to add texture and depth.

Each lily variety works together to provide an unforgettable experience, no matter what day or time a guest visits. Night-blooming lilies reach their peak bloom in the early morning and will be completely closed by noon, while day-bloomers will open in the morning and carry into the early evening. Though each plant is expected to show between three to nine blooms at a time, many guests don’t realize that lily blooms only last for three days… a process that can be described as being “sort of magical.”

Hardy lilies typically have standard colors like red, white, yellow, and pink, while tropical lilies produce vibrant blues, purples, and even combinations of color. A favorite of our gardeners? Nymphaea  ‘Green Smoke,’ which transitions from green outer petals to blue, then yellow inner petals, to finally having light purple in its center. And in the case of the large Victoria Water Platters, these lily blooms can even change colors. The Victoria is hermaphroditic – when it blooms, it changes from female to male overnight. Beetles are attracted to this flower’s warmth, and as the bloom closes, it traps the beetles inside and forces them to pollinate the flower. The new bloom will change from white to a pink or maroon the next night.

View of Biltmore House from Italian Garden
The Italian Garden pools in summertime are filled with aquatic plants such as tropical water lilies, Victoria water platters, papyrus and huge lily pads. Photo credit: The Biltmore Company.

Uniquely Biltmore

In 2014, the Italian Garden closely resembles the original outline by Olmsted, with our experts saying the only main difference being the center bed display. Today, we use a more contemporary garden design with banana trees and elephant ears. Also, due to the sheer amount of lily varieties available now, we’re able to create a mosaic effect out of the different colors they would not have had back then.

The Italian Garden serves as an introduction to aquatic gardening for many Biltmore guests, as water gardens are not something often seen. It draws thousands of admirers each spring and summer, and the garden has even inspired a few to create their own water garden at home. According to our horticulturist, this water garden is as good as you’re going to see pretty much anywhere in the United States, but it’s a bit different. It’s uniquely Biltmore.

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.