Very nice -definitely a place everyone should see at least once.House,Garden and Estate were once the best of the best.
As far as rose garden-they were non-spray or none modern product when I was there.Which means most of us have more impressive roses but not as many-lol.

In the past, I have been there a few times. Unfortunately, once we were there during the height of JB season and the roses were covered up with them. I always wanted to visit in spring when the azaleas were blooming, but was always in the classroom teaching then. So, yes, the gardens, sans the beetles, are great; the restaurant is good; and the winery is outstanding. You too should go!

We tried to go a couple of weeks ago. Unfortunately, in order to get in, you have to buy a $50 ticket, which does get you into everything. We've already seen the house, and we decided we didn't want to spend $100 for DH and me to look at the roses.

I was just there at the end of May. We stayed at the Biltmore Inn (on the property) so had unlimited tickets to the house and gardens.

When we got there, they had just put in the summer annuals, so it wasn't that impressive. They do have a lot of roses, and have beds of the same rose, which is a nice effect. Some of the roses were in bloom, which was nice. But they all needed some serious grooming. Lots of dead branches and leaves.

Here are some pics:

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That's DH...

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That's me!

Biltmore got hit this spring with the same Easter Freeze as a lot of us did and that accounts for the cane problems Buford was seeing. I think they are trying to hold on to what canes they could, to try to use them to support the growth until the new growth from the roots could emerge.
The gardens (and it is a plural) were originally designed by Olmstead and the intent is to retain the feel of the time. The structures, the grass verges, the walled garden with climbers on the walls are so unlike other gardens at this latitude.
But it is going to take a while for their roses to regroup...it's going to take a while for most roses in this part of the world to regroup.
I do have a picture from Hershey Rose Garden taken about a month ago where they have marshalled the potted, blooming roses for transplant into their mass beds to replace their winter damage.
I think the pink in the next to last photo is Hansa. And the CL. Clotilde Soupert archs seemed undamaged by the late cold.
(The azaleas also had a hard winter.)

Biltmore is committed to overhauling the rose garden but it will take time - as in a few years. We've been working with them for the last year putting together a "master plan" and I go up 5-6 times per year to work with them. I also took David Stone up there last Fall when he was here and if he has time I plan to take Michael Marriot up as well.

It is a lovely setting for a rose garden and the entire staff and owners of Biltmore are committed to making it the best rose garden around.

You're right Ann, there was one whole bed of Mutabalis that was all dead, every one. And outside of the rose garden, there was lots of visible damage. There was a pair of Japanese Maples in the shrub garden, one looked ok, the other was badly damaged. I wouldn't be surprised if it didn't make it. They were both huge and I imagine that they were planted when the house was built in 1895.

I was amazed that the whole property was landscaped, including the 2 mile road from the main road to the house. When we went there, the mountain laurel was in bloom and it seemed that each time we took a turn in the road, there was one in the corner blooming. I also saw many rhodos that probably were in bloom a few weeks before.

I want to go back and do the property tour (by horse and carriage) and also on a weekend when they have tours with a garden expert.

The most impressive thing about the rose garden (which I don't seem to have pictures of) is the climbing roses on the walls. They has wires running all along the walls and the roses were tied to them. It was good to see an example of a properly arranged climber.

BTW, the pink rose bed is Barrone Prevost. That was the one that DH fell in love with (and why I now have 3 of them). The pictures aren't that good because it was incredibly hot and hazy that week. I was happy I brought my hat, otherwise the garden tour would have been cut very short.

Paul, that is very exciting about Ashdown being involved with the Biltmore rose garden restoration. Since Biltmore is only a 3 hour drive for us, and we loved going there, I think we'll be back. And hope to see many Ashdown roses there.

Here's a link to my Flickr page with more pics if you don't mind looking through boring tourist type pictures.

"Biltmore Pictures"

Thanks everyone for your insight! Buford, your pictures are preety. Dancingnancy55, if I am right my stepson said for $85 you can buy a ticket and go as many times as you want in a year. If I am right, you both might want to think about that. Happy gardening everyone.

The very best thing I can say about the gardens at Biltmore is that they have potential. I've been there annually for the past nine year (in various seasons) & have been underwhelmed. Let's hope that the involvement of Ashdown means that the administrators realize the deficiencies, & are serious about turning the place around, gardenwise. For now, however, there are many reasons for visiting Biltmore . . . the gardens, however, are not among them.

I have to think that with the number of rhodos and azaleas there, it is fantastic in the spring. Yes, the rose garden needs updating and it will be interesting to see what happens.

But I could have spent days just wandering around there, and the shrubs weren't even blooming!

"there was one whole bed of Mutabalis that was all dead"

Buford, Mutabilis in Asheville always looks at least half dead. I wonder if that bed was a suggestion by RU, who used to supply a lot of roses to Biltmore. It's a reasonable-sounding suggestion, but the climate difference between Asheville and the upper Piedmont nearby is critical. Teas and Chinas seem to grow better in NYC than they do here.

While the rose garden is currently not that much, I think there's a lot there to interest a gardener, starting with the overall layout by the greatest garden designer in American history, the wonderful siting of the house with long vistas, the shrub garden full of unusual plants, and the long woodland garden along the path to the pond. The woodland garden is marvelous when the huge azaleas are blooming. If you go around the end of May, you would find both azaleas and roses near their peak.

Great news that Paul Z is consulting.

It's possible that one or two came back, but when I was there (right after Memorial Day) the canes were black and there was no foliage. It was startling since it was an entire bed of about 15 roses.

They did have a lot more HTs that I imagined. I had read that they had many OGRs, from the era that the home was built and that's what I wanted to see. I did get to see many of those and purchased Rose de Rescht based on what I saw there. I'm also thinking of getting Old Blush climber because it looked so nice. I just don't have a lot of room for another climber.

I'm going to try to go next spring. Hopefully there wont be a killer freeze.

oh buford, thx so much for your pictures. I considered going there on my honeymoon but DH would have been bored. since I cannot afford $50 for admission I dont foresee going, so I truly appreciate your photos. I hope you dont mind if I visit your photos again in the near future. thanks again.

p.s. your husband's eyes knock me out....like paul newman
michelle

Michelle, he also gets that he looks like Beau Bridges. I'll tell him you said that. I have to fight the women off him with a stick!

There is a lot to do in Asheville, outside of Biltmore. Lots of artsy stuff. And there is a spa there that is supposed to be wonderful.

I maxed out my flickr downloads for this month, but I'll probably put more up next month. Feel free to go there anytime.

I found a picture of the Mutabalis bed:

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Buford, thanks for sharing these pictures. I have been several times and have stayed at the Biltmore twice, great accommodations, but have never been in the season for roses to be at their peak. I did see the azaleas/rhodos in bloom and they are quite lovely. Biltmore, the whole area -- truly one of America's castles.

If you've got the cash and you want to do something special, the resturant and the inn is great. We had a dressy dinner there and it was great. We had a bottle of Biltmore wine with it. Fantastic.

We also did 'Afternoon Tea' servered by an authentic British butler. It was a bit expensive, but worth the experience.

BUFORD, love your Biltmore pics. Thank's for posting
them. You and hubby look like your enjoying the trip.
Oh and thank you for the floaters in the pool, with
roses suggestion(LOL), on my "Reflections" post. You
are a creative and savvy gardener. And I look forward
to trying Comtesse de Chambord next season. I hope you
get to read this. Take care!

If you haven't been and can go, do so, by all means. I have been many times, but the best time is in spring when the azaleas are blooming or in early summer, before the JBs hit the roses, and I mean HIT THE ROSES, because they hit them like a ton of bricks there. Oh, and the house tour ain't bad either.

My hubby and I went in early June. It was lovely, but I felt it could have, and should have, looked so very much better. Perhaps I'm just too critical, but a good bit of it had a somewhat neglected look to it. Then again, we must remember that this year has been a crazy and horrible growing season. Here are a few pics we took:

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"We had a bottle of Biltmore wine with it. Fantastic."

If you have a chance, try the Sangiovese. It is great! We went to Asheville in February. The gardens at Biltmore were not much then but the lack of people was nice. We were a little disappointed with the wine tour but finding the Sangiovese was worth it. We bought all the bottles left on the entire property, including the ones at the hotel gift shop.

I might go back next spring and try the gardens again. It's not that far for me....