The Italian Garden at Biltmore


My friend and I paid another visit to Biltmore a few days ago. Just because it's in the mountains doesn't mean it was cool. No, it was a hot day and I almost melted. We walked in front of the house and toward the gardens.

I loved these two beautiful pots filled with plants.

First, we visited the Italian Garden. This series of three water garden pools was designed by Frederick Law Olmstead in the late 1800s. When the Vanderbilts lived in the house, they used this space as an outdoor room. It's very elegant with statuary and beautiful water plants of all types.

Waterlilies


Baby bull frog
We saw several of these tiny, baby bull frogs and also some still in tadpole form.

Another view toward the house. Here you can see the shape of the pond.

Tropical water lily

View away from the house.

Waterlily

Koi
 I loved watching this beautiful silvery-white koi fish. It was huge. The ponds contained a few dozen fish.

Lotus
These ponds were almost filled with lotus plants and they were just starting to bloom. I have a pond and would love to grow lotus but haven't been able to. You will also see a dragonfly at the bottom of the above photo. I love all the wildlife around ponds.

Hope you enjoyed this little excursion to the Italian Garden at Biltmore. :)

Vonda
www.vondasinclair.com

My Brave Highlander: Battle-hardened warrior Dirk MacLerie isn't who everyone thinks he is. He's Dirk MacKay, heir apparent to the MacKay chiefdom and Dunnakeil Castle on the far north coast of Scotland. When he returns home after a long absence, will his clan know him and will the duplicitous enemy who tried to murder him twelve years ago kill him in truth this time?

Lady Isobel MacKenzie is a beautiful young widow betrothed to yet another Highland chief by her brother's order. But when her future brother-in-law accosts her and threatens to kill her, she is forced to flee into a Highland snowstorm. When she runs into a rugged and imposing man she thought dead, she wonders if he will turn her over to her enemy or take her to safety.

Dirk remembers the enchanting, dark-eyed Isobel from when he was a lad, but now she is bound to another man by legal contract—an important detail she would prefer to forget. She wishes to choose her own husband and has her sights set on Dirk. But he would never steal another man's bride… would he? The tantalizing lady fires up his passions, testing his willpower and honor at every turn, even as some of his own treacherous clansmen plot his downfall.

18 comments:

Unknown said...

Vonda, you make me want to go back and visit again. Biltmore is an incredible place, although one enduring memory I have of our visit was the recurring thought that "these people had too much money", LOL.

But I've read that Mrs. Vanderbilt was quite the humanitarian and very good to her servants and other employees, even organizing classes to help them learn to read. Very progressive for her day.

Thanks for sharing the gorgeous photos (I saw that little green dragonfly).

Gerri Bowen said...

So beautiful, Vonda. Thanks for sharing!

Paisley Kirkpatrick said...

You took a picture of a Tutu Pakwaw, Vonda!! :) What a gorgeous garden area and, of course, those big pots are so unique and beautiful. I loved seeing these photos!!!

Vonda Sinclair said...

Mairi, I agree, it is an incredible and inspiring place. They did have a lot of money, for sure. Yes, I've heard she was very helpful to those less fortunate. I'm glad you liked the photos! Thanks!

Vonda Sinclair said...

Thanks for checking it out, Gerri!

Vonda Sinclair said...

I couldn't resist taking a few pics of the tiny frogs, Paisley. LOL I love ponds and water gardens, so it was a lot of fun to see all the plants they were growing.

Clover Autrey said...

What a beautiful place. Do you get to go inside or just around the grounds?

Lana Williams said...

Thanks so much for sharing the pics! That place is on my list of places I need to visit!

Ella Quinn - Romance Novelist said...

These are lovely pictures. I adore how the frog seems to be smiling at you. Tweeted.

Vonda Sinclair said...

Hi Clover, we can go inside the house with our 12 month pass. We did go inside back in Feb. But there is so much to see outside in the spring and summer we haven't had time to go back inside again. We probably will soon.

Vonda Sinclair said...

Thanks, Lana! I hope you get to visit. You'll love it.

Vonda Sinclair said...

Ella, thanks! It looks like a happy frog. LOL Thanks for the tweet.

Vanessa Holland said...

Great pictures, Vonda! It was really hot the day we went there, too. I don't remember seeing the water gardens then. If I had, I'd probably have wanted to jump in. :-)

Vonda Sinclair said...

Thanks, Vanessa! The water gardens are easy to miss for some reason. Maybe because of the location and there are so many other gardens to explore. And great views of the mountains on the opposite side. Going for a swim would've felt nice. :)

Lyn Horner said...

What beautiful pics! I'd love to visit Vanderbilt. Thanks for sharing the gardens with us, Vonda.

Vonda Sinclair said...

Thanks for taking a look at them, Lyn! I hope you get to visit too!

Ellen Lindseth said...

Thanks for the post! I've now put visiting Biltmore on my bucket list. :-)

Vonda Sinclair said...

You will love it, Ellen!