Tulips and Mt. Pisgah view at Biltmore Estate

tulips in the walled garden at Biltmore Estate

view of Mt. Pisgah from the terrace at Biltmore Estate

It's always wonderful to swing through the Biltmore Estate in April;  the tulips in the walled garden are at their peak right now, and the cool air of spring (following a front) brought clear views of the Blue Ridge mountains and Mt. Pisgah beyond.

A lovely morning excursion.

Biltmore view

With spring here, the transitions from winter gray to spring green are proceeding rapidly.

A lovely benefit of now being in the mountains full-time is being able to appreciate those transitions here first hand.  I saw them, of course, in the Piedmont, too, but here, with mountain views, luminous morning light, and the winds and clouds that seem to be part of the weather here, it's been a joy to be able to visit the exceptional Biltmore landscape views over multiple visits the last week or so.

Spring has been popping out everywhere there, especially in the walled garden, with tulips and the espaliered fruit trees in flower.

But this view, toward Mt. Pisgah, is one I especially enjoy.  Right now, the contrast between winter and spring is evident.

This morning, it was a treat.

view from terrace, Biltmore Estate

I'm waiting for hummingbirds

In these mild winter days, on the last day of January, I'm thinking about spring.

I gathered up some organic compost to enrich my vegetable beds, cleaned the beds up (of dead greens and parsley), admired the leeks of various sorts (some looking wan, others - the perennial ones- looking more robust), clipped back some perennial stems, and thought:  I'm waiting for spring.

It's still way too early, I know, but there are daffodils in flower around the corner.  And tulip foliage is emerging, too, in spots I've tucked former Valentine's Day bulbs in, to overwinter.

I'm remembering hummingbird visits some years ago (we saw lots in Guatemala recently, primarily visiting feeders, but also in gardens).

Here was a great sequence of photos on a venerable Campsis at the Biltmore Estate, some years ago.

A hummingbird coming in to visit a Campsis flower: click for a larger view.

Day 7 #challengeatnaturephotography

Lotus fruits and lovely gardens

One of the benefits of living in Asheville is being able to visit the Biltmore Estate. As a passholder, I happily can go anytime, for early morning walks along the French Broad River, or excursions with my gardening companion and Woody through the gardens and a loop around Bass Lake.

I don't give a hoot about the house, but the landscape and gardens (and the preserved views of the mountains and pastoral andscapes) are truly a treasure.  The walk along the French Broad River is wonderful. And the wave of sunflowers that's continued all summer -- lovely!

In recent years, the horticultural aspects of the walled garden and the conservatories has really become excellent, with displays and change-outs great fun to see, however gaudy and Victorian-inspired they might be (this year has been that, certainly!)

This year's late summer walled garden displays

The Italian Garden looks wonderful this year -- there must be a new gardener in charge, as it's always been pretty ho-hum before.

In late summer, it's full of all sorts of interesting aquatics, and wonderful lotus fruits in the side pools.

Italian Garden (at Biltmore)

Lotus fruits and fading leaves