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Bloom Report
August 2022 Bloom Report
For a sneak peek at how color is transforming our gardens and grounds, review our Bloom Report.
Bill Quade, Biltmore’s Director of Horticulture, tells you what’s blooming when (and where!) across our magnificent estate. Plus, see answers to some of our frequently asked garden questions!
By August, the summer annuals the estate’s talented gardeners have meticulously tended since May are in full bloom.
The water lily display in the Italian Garden is an absolute delight as you begin a stroll through the gardens. You will also find water lilies at the Conservatory, Village Hotel, The Inn, and the Reception and Ticketing Sales Center. The hydrangeas and abelia blooming throughout the Shrub Garden highlight the taller blooming crepe myrtle, vitex, and butterfly bushes. The Walled Garden brims with lush plantings, with the Sunfinity Yellow Sunflower stealing the show.
As you travel across the estate, take time to enjoy the pastoral scenery along the roadsides. Frederick Law Olmsted, Biltmore’s landscape architect, intended these areas to have trees “standing singly and in groups, in being more free from underwood, and in having a turf surface.” Recently planted trees have grown well due to the efforts of the staff to preserve this original Olmsted design intent.
—Bill Quade, Director of Horticulture
Summer at Biltmore
Large orange hibiscus flowers nestle among bright yellow daylilies in the Walled Garden.
Native to the African and Asian tropics, mussaenda blooms within displays outside the Conservatory.
Butterfly bush offers up lush purple blooms throughout the Walled Garden.
Vibrant green banana leaves provide a lovely backdrop for orange hibiscus blossoms and sunny yellow black-eyed susans.
Vitex agnus-castus, also known as chasteberry, looms over an abundance of black-eyed susans and black and blue salvia.
Glorious roses show off their full blooms as black-eyed susans seemingly cheer them on from the background.
Stroll along the North Road of the Walled Garden to enjoy this border brimming with banana, hibiscus, cannas, sunpatiens, and coleus.
Conservatory: Orchids, Anthurium, Banana, Begonia, Hardy and Tropical Hibiscus, Gingers, Heliconia
Shrub Garden: Crepe Myrtle, Franklinia, Roses, Panicle Hydrangea, Oakleaf Hydrangea, Abelia, Ceanothus Hybrids, Vitex, Butterfly Bush, Cassia, Plumleaf Azalea, Russian Sage, Water Lilies
Spring Garden: Smooth Hydrangea, Oakleaf Hydrangea
Azalea Garden: Sweetspire, Smooth Hydrangea, Shasta Daisy, Coneflower, Plumleaf Azalea, Cyrilla
Walled Garden: Southern Magnolia, Crepe Myrtle, Vitex, Roses, Clematis, Hibiscus, Salvias, Daylilies, Lavender (early in the month), Crocosmia, Dahlia, annual displays featuring SunPatiens, Sunflower, Verbena, Cannas, Coleus, Coneflowers
Entry and Approach Road: Plumleaf Azalea, Franklinia, Abelia, Water Lily, Pond Lily
Inn on Biltmore Estate: Roses, Abelia, Hydrangeas, Geranium, Dahlia, Daylilies
Antler Hill Village / Winery / Village Hotel: Crepe Myrtle, Hibiscus, Mandevilla Vine, Panicle Hydrangeas, Roses, Vitex, Coneflowers, summer annuals
Recent Guest Questions
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When is the best time to visit to see spring flowers?
April through May, although Mid-March is when the spring blooms start.
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When can I see azaleas in bloom?
The early-blooming azaleas have already started to bloom. As we continue through April, more will start to show color and be very noticeable starting the second week in April.
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When will the roses bloom?
The roses’ first flush of blooms is generally opening by Mother’s Day through the end of May. After that, we get intermittent summer blooming with a full flush again in September.
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When will the cherry trees bloom?
We expect the cherries to be in bloom the third and last week of March.
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Do you plant your tulips in pots outside?
No. The forced bulbs you see inside the Conservatory are potted up in November and then kept in a walk-in cooler for a specified number of days. They are then brought up to our production house to finish growing before being placed in the Conservatory. The bulbs you see planted at the main gate, entrance beds at Antler Hill Village, and the Walled Garden pattern beds are all planted in November. The supervisors of each area work to select early-, mid-, and late-blooming varieties to have bulbs blooming from March through the middle of April.
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What do you do with your tulips at the end of the season?
We select hybrid tulips that provide the best bloom possible. As a result, blooms will diminish in future years. Each year we dig up all the tulips and compost them. The compost is then used in fields across the estate as a soil amendment.
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When do you start feeding the Koi in the Italian Garden?
As soon as the water temperature reaches 50 degrees or higher. We’ll feed them from approximately early May until mid-October.
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What is the large ball we see blooming at the Front Entrance, Walled Garden, and Village?
This is allium, more commonly referred to as ornamental onion.
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What's the fragrant plant along the steps from the Conservatory down to A Gardener's Place?
Edgeworthia.
