Enjoy a peaceful getaway at Biltmore Gardens, located next to the Biltmore House in Asheville, North Carolina. Frederick Law Olmstead, one of the most famous landscape architects in the U.S., designed the gardens nearly a century ago. You’ll see breathtaking trees, flowers, shrubbery, and more throughout the 30 acres of formal and informal gardens.
Start in the Italian Garden, located right next to the Biltmore House. It houses three pools, filled with goldfish and koi, along with water lilies, papyrus, and elephant ears. You can sit and think in peace next to one of the reflecting pools, offering complete tranquility and serenity. While in this section, you’ll also spot a collection of statues. If you enjoy art, make sure to spend time here to see all of the statues on display.
Walled Garden is the centerpiece of Biltmore Gardens, boasting a seasonal rotation of stunning, colorful flowers. During the springtime, more than 75,000 tulips cover this section of the garden, while other seasonal blooms include mums in the fall and annuals in the summer. Throughout the center of the garden, a grape vine-covered arbor provides a shady spot to relax. Other highlights of the Walled Garden include Victorian, white, and scented borders, along with a butterfly garden.
If you’re looking for a place to relax in the shade, head to Shrub Garden. This section is accessible via a path from the Walled Garden and takes up four acres. It’s picturesque and serene, boasting hundreds of trees and ornamental shrubs. You can also sit on the benches, found beneath the wisteria-covered pergola.
When it’s too cold outside to enjoy the outdoor gardens, visit the conservatory. This glass-roofed building houses a massive collection of colorful orchids, along with a separate palm house with ferns, palms, and other foliage. The building’s design came from Richard Morris Hunt, the architect behind the Biltmore House.
The Rose Garden also contains more than 2,000 roses from over 50 different varieties, offering quite the experience when you walk along the path. These fragrant florals will please your senses. The garden looks exactly as it did when the Vanderbilts lived in the home, right down to the double arch and maypole.
Pack a picnic and stop at Bass Pond, located about one-half mile from the main garden area. A path takes you around the pond, or you can park nearby in the roadside spaces. When you get to the boathouse, stop and enjoy your picnic and take some photos of the gorgeous views of the property. You can also make your way along the trails on foot or on a bicycle to see even more of the gardens.
Insider Tip:
If you visit between June and September, follow the road near Antler Hill Village to see the mile-long patch of bold yellow sunflowers.