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Bloom Report
May 25, 2023 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.
As we inch closer to summer, guests can enjoy Roses, Mountain Laurel, and Kousa Dogwoods, all of which are in full bloom. One of many must-see roses for guests right now is the New Dawn climbing rose. You’ll find it in Antler Hill Village on the walls of Cedric’s® Tavern, and by the entrance to the Ciao! From Italy large-scale sculptural postcard display.
The Rose Garden is at its peak and will continue to delight for the remainder of the month. Often missed, the hues seen on Approach Road please the eye and soothe the soul. Blooms of Mountain Laurel, Mock Orange, and Deutzia shrubs combined with the light green new growth of ferns and darker shades of evergreens invite you to take your time along this peaceful three-mile drive.
As our gardeners continue to plant summer annuals across the estate, Irises are just beginning to bloom in the Italian Garden; later on, this garden’s pools will brim with a variety of water plants, including Lotus and Lilies, which were procured and design-planned months in advance.
—Bill Quade, Director of Horticulture
Explore Biltmore’s Historic Gardens
Baskets brimming with full-bloom Petunias can be seen throughout Antler Hill Village.
Sweet-scented New Dawn climbing rose takes over this wall of Cedric’s® Tavern, located in Biltmore’s Antler Hill Village.
Creamy white blooms of the Kousa Dogwood delight along the three-mile Approach Road to Biltmore House.
Be sure to visit the Bass Pond Boat House to experience Mountain Laurel in bloom.
The perfect photo opportunity for you and yours: the Boat House at Biltmore’s tranquil Bass Pond.
In Biltmore’s Conservatory, the delicately scented star-shaped flowers of plumeria invite you to lean in and enjoy.
Tucked within Biltmore’s Walled Garden near the Conservatory, the Rose Garden comes into its own as May draws to a close.
One of several varieties of roses that call Biltmore’s Rose Garden home, the Bright & Shiny specimen lives up to its cheerful name.
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.
