Biltmore Estate and Gardens- Chinese Wisteria, Common Trumpet Creeper, Japanese Wisteria

We visited Biltmore Estate and Gardens in Asheville NC for our 26th wedding anniversary last weekend and it was really fun. Although we have never been there in spring time when all the flowers are out or Christmas time when all the lights are up, any time is a good time to visit.


We took a carriage ride around the estate. Here we see the back of the house from the reflecting pond area.

Let me tell you a little bit about the place before we go on. It’s the largest privately owned home (178,926 square feet) in the country built between 1889 and 1895 by George Vanderbilt. The house is magnificent and they have all kinds of tours from roof top to butlers tours. Not only is the house fascinating but so are the grounds. Eight-thousand acres of it. Mr. Vanderbilt hired Frederick Law Olmsted to design the grounds in a French and English garden style. Mr. Olmsted also was the designer of Central Park in New York so you kind of get that same feeling here.

Everything was just starting to bloom out while we were there, but this caught my eye so I decided to share it with you.



These trucks on the west side of the house on the veranda were ginormous. First we see the truck of a Chinese Wisteria (Wisteria sinensis) which is from the Pea Family. I’ve always heard that Wisteria needed a sold post to grow on and now I know why!




Next is a Japanese Wisteria (Wisteria floribunda) from the Pea Family. Another strong root system. Both these plants have large drooping clusters of lavender flowers that give out a heavy floral sent kind of like lilacs.




I photographed this plant because I thought it was from the Wisteria family as well but it’s called Common Trumpet Creeper (Campsis radicans) and this is from the Bignonia Family. I have some of this in my backyard. You can see it on my post “Spring at Setters Run” dated March 31, 2012. It's the plant with the orange trumpet shaped flowers but they can also have yellow and pink flowers as well. I had no idea how big it could get so I’m moving it this weekend to a less invasive area of the yard.
I not only had a great time sharing Biltmore, the winery and the village in Asheville with my husband on our anniversary - I also learned something very valuable for my own garden. Move the Trumpet Creeper!


You can always visit www.biltmore.com to see photos of the house and gardens. It's truly one of the most beautiful spots we've visited.