Adventures: Biltmore Blooms

I recently took a girls’ trip up to Asheville for the weekend and we visited the Biltmore Estate as part of our trip. I went a few years ago during Christmas and loved it! This time, it was a totally different season and a very different experience. Surprisingly, it was a lot more crowded than when we went for Christmas. And hot. While the house has AC, it’s a big house and tough to cool down. If you’re a fan of Downton Abbey, the house is well worth the visit if you’re in the area. The tour really brings to life the time period and history.

We were a little crunched for time, and the only thing I would change is not eating at the Carriage House restaurant right by the house. We were starving and should’ve picked up a sandwich at the little bakery instead – we waited forever for our food and then had to rush through the gardens. Wish we’d had more time to wander around the property. The good news is that it’s only a 3.5 hour drive from Atlanta so I’m sure I’ll be back again!

The Garden

The last time I was here, it was winter so there wasn’t much in the garden to see (but plenty of eye candy inside with Christmas decor!). This time, we spent some time exploring the formal gardens near the house. I have never seen blooms so big! I wonder what fertilizer they use? Below are a few shots of the day.

I’ve never seen hydrangea so big. These limelights were absolutely massive – like bigger than my head big.

Hibiscus the size of my face! And taller than me.

Sunflowers

We also took time to drive and take some pictures of the sunflowers in bloom. They run along side the road on the way to Antler Hill Village.

Interior

You can’t take flash photography inside the Biltmore, so these aren’t the best shots, but I grabbed a few to share. The library is what bookworm dreams are made of:

The terrace overlooking a stunning view of the mountains is simply perfect. I can imagine drinking my morning coffee out here every day! While the rest of house was hot, the terrace had a lovely breeze.

And of course, that view!