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.

The Italian Garden was created to offer a tranquil spot for enjoying 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.

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

In June, you’ll see more than 100 hardy and tropical water lilies begin blooming. The lotus bed display starts in early July, which is especially relevant in 2025 as a botanical tie to our Tutankhamun: His Tomb and His Treasures exhibition on display in Amherst at Deerpark^® as the lotus was one of the symbols of ancient Egypt.

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

The gigantic platter-shaped Victoria lilies are 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

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 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

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.”

Visit the Italian Garden now

Plan your summer visit to Biltmore today. It’s a great time to introduce your children to America’s Largest Home^® as ages 16 and under are admitted free from Memorial Day to Labor Day when accompanied by a ticketed adult.

In addition, now–September 1, 2025, enjoy special pricing on Tutankhamun: His Tomb and His Treasures with $10 admission tickets for youth (ages 10–16), and children 9 and under admitted FREE!

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