Biltmore Bloom Report

March 28, 2024

Biltmore’s Director of Horticulture tells you what’s blooming when (and where!) across the estate.

The entire estate is alive with vibrant color, and it will only intensify as we move through April. Early blooming Hyacinths and Tulips are putting on a spectacular show at the front entrance. Our historic gardens are a work of art now, and the colors and patterns will continue to evolve, each phase more glorious than the last.

The promise of full-bloom Redbuds and Serviceberry combined with the transition from Forsythia to Viburnums and Fothergilla ensures a dynamic and ever-changing display. Our Walled Garden is a must-see, with the Tulip and Daffodil displays the current stars of the pattern bed show. The blooms will continue to show more color through the first part of April. In the Azalea Garden, some early bloomers are already showing color, and both the deciduous and evergreen Azaleas are laden with buds this year, promising an abundance of vivid blooms.

No visit is complete without a stroll through the Conservatory, brimming with stunning displays created by our talented staff. The fragrance of spring-blooming shrubs like Burkwood and Korean Spice Viburnums along the Shrub Garden’s lower path adds another layer of sensory delight to the experience. For guests staying at The Inn, the welcoming fragrance from the parking lot to the front door surely sets the stage for a memorable stay.

—Bill Quade, Director of Horticulture 

What's Blooming This Week

In the pattern beds that surround the Dutch Master Daffodils, Tulips in white, orange, yellow, and purple prepare to join their full-bloom crimson counterparts.

Reaching its blossom-laden branches up and toward Biltmore’s Front Lawn walkway, a Cherry tree vies for your attention.

This view from within the Italian Garden, illuminated with sunny yellow Forsythia blooms, showcases the newly planted hedge and the large terra cotta pots placed within it.

Sunny Dutch Master Daffodils are ready for their close-up in the Walled Garden pattern beds, as bright crimson Tulips seem to cheer them on.

A delight for the senses: the subtly sweet fragrance, creamy white blossoms, and elegantly splayed branches of the Walled Garden’s Espalier Pears.

One of the Conservatory’s many stunning displays, this lush oasis features white Anthurium and Daffodill blooms and deep purple-magenta Tulips.

Flush with semi-double pink blossoms that emit a light, sweet scent, one of our Higan Cherry Trees invites you to explore Biltmore’s Antler Hill Village.

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.

March Daffodils in Biltmore's Gardens

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.

April Tulips in Biltmore's Walled Garden

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.

May Roses in Biltmore's Walled Garden

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.

June Hydrangeas in Biltmore's Gardens

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.

August Water Lilies in Biltmore's Gardens