Biltmore Azalea Garden — Attraction in Asheville

An anchoring element for a visit to the Biltmore Estate. My wife and I maintain annual passes to the Biltmore just to walk the trails, sit along the French Broad River and walk through these gardens originally designed by Frederick Law Olmsted. I recommend strolling through the upper shrub garden near the house and on through the walled garden and then all the way down the Azalea Garden to the Bass Pond. There is a clean bathroom at the edge of the Conservatory, and a cart to buy a water or drink. The walk down to the Bass Pond is mostly an out-and-back walk, but you can follow different side trails by simply sticking to one side or the other (left or right) to enjoy the small gravel footpaths off the paved main trail. It is pretty all year! Not just when the Azaleas are blooming. It has more diversity in vegetation - flowers, shrubs and trees. And it has some amazing large old trees that I imagine Olmsted placed over...

Wear a nice, comfortable pair of shoes. You will want to walk the Gardens as long as you can. There is a shuttle that can transport you to the Garden itself or you can take the walk. If you choose to take the shuttle, it will drop you off at the Garden where you will begin your journey. In the Rose Garden, the smell of Roses is a fragrant wounder. The smell is not overpowering, but it was a sensory wounder to enjoy such fragrance outdoors. Slow yourself down and take in the surroundings. Entering the Greenhouse is another sensory wounder once again. The plants and flowers are spectacular. Again, slow down and take in the surroundings. There is a wonderful gift shop with may one-of-a-kind items. I hope you enjoy the photos I have posted to share the experience from my vantage point. We will surely be making a return trip to enjoy the...

Garden specifics: The garden (visited in late October) is very colorful. It has a few large greenhouses full of exotic plants, and lots of roses. There's also a shrub garden, and a nice Koi pond with some very friendly Koi. The Koi really steal the show. They'll follow you, and one of them may allow you to pet it, if you wish.

Biltmote pass details: Not a bad value. With the price of entrance to the grounds comes a self guided tour of the main house. The tour will be crowded. Unless you get there close to opening time, you'll be shuffling through the house in a tightly packed group for a couple of hours. It's a neat house, but overcrowded. The admission price also includes access to the gardens, and a free wine sampling (about 1.5 glasses worth). All of this can be done in a half day....