Frederick Law Olmsted designed the formal and informal gardens of the Biltmore Estate. He was considered to be the Father of American landscape architecture. He also designed Central Park and Prospect Park in New York City, and the master plans for both University of California, Berkley and Stanford University and multiple other famous Parks.
At age 66, Olmsted began his last opportunity to create a great arboretum and park in the English tradition combining hardscape, woodlands, fields, and gardens at the Biltmore Estate.
Olmsted found Vanderbilt’s estate provided him with an array of indigenous flora with which to shape the grounds -- rhododendron, mountain laurel, red bud, deciduous azalea, hemlock and pine among others.
The plantings are so varied that there is always something blooming or providing focus points of interest. There is an Italian Garden, a Shrub Garden, a Spring Garden, a Walled Garden, a Rose Garden an Azalea Garden and a Conservatory.
The gardens are remote from the house allowing for a slow reveal as the paths and stairways are strolled.
Because of the profusion of blooming bulbs in the walled garden and the unbelievable beauty of the flowers in the Conservatory that is where I spent most of my time.
The remaining photos will probably not include much commentary. I just want a place to store all the memories of the colors, shapes, perfumes, the beauty and the joy I feel among flowers and gardens.
The rose garden will be ablaze with blooms in a month or two. I love the herringbone pattern of the brick walkways.
The hardscape combines rocks, bricks, concrete and more that uses different depths and heights to dramatize the views.
The Conservatory appealed to my sense of symmetry. Not to mention the anticipation of seeing what is inside.
The most appropriate garden furniture for the Victorian era. Look at that detail.
I was so happy to see a Jack-in-the-pulpit in bloom. This pretty little thing takes 5 years from seed to bloom.
"If you have a garden and a library, you have everything you need."
Marcus Tullius Cicero