It might be snowing on your daffodils this week, but spring truly is coming. If you love spring’s flowers and want to enjoy three months of blooming glory, the extensive gardens at Biltmore offer both for less than the cost of two visits to the estate. For the first time, Biltmore is offering a spring pass for the estate’s annual Festival of Flowers to locals. The pass allows unlimited daytime visits from April 5 until June 30 for $59 . Also, guests can upgrade their admission ticket to a spring pass for $20 during their visit.
Biltmore’s gardens, originally designed by Frederick Law Olmsted, are in their 118th year, and this is the 23rd Festival of Flowers. The estate’s gardens include a seasonal display of vibrant colors from thousands of tulips in the Walled Garden to native and exotic blooms in the 20-acre Azalea Garden. Festivities accompanying the festival will include live music, presentations by Biltmore gardeners, storytelling from Biltmore historians, cooking demonstrations, children’s activities and craft seminars.
Inside Biltmore House, designers have created floral decorations reminiscent of turn-of-the-century garden parties. They took direction from details of a 25th birthday celebration held for George and Edith Vanderbilt’s daughter, Cornelia, in 1925, which had an oriental theme. The staff has created displays of bamboo, rhododendron, evergreens, palms, blooming shrubs, orchids, cherry blossoms and paper lanterns throughout the house.
For more information or to purchase a spring pass, call (877) BILTMORE or visit www.biltmore.com.
— Anne Fitten Glenn, contributing writer
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