Splendid Pools of Water & Greenery
Just steps away from Biltmore House, the Italian Garden is a must-see feature of Biltmore. The garden includes panels of pristine grass, sculptures of putti – cherub-like figures- that were popular in paintings and statuary during the Italian Renaissance, and three reflective pools that house spectacular water gardens.
Each pool features different water lilies, including hardy and tropical varieties. The garden’s blooms reach their peak during the summer months. Some of the water lilies are of the night-blooming variety, which open in the evening and bloom until mid-morning.
Colorful Koi & 1895 Technology
A lot of care goes into these spectacular water gardens. Chuck Cissell’s primary responsibility as a member of Biltmore’s landscaping team has been the Italian Garden, with a focus on the aquatic plants. To care for the aquatic gardens, Cissell says, “I feed and fertilize the water lilies once a week; they are heavy feeders. And we groom three times a week from June to October. Grooming—that means removing the pollinated blooms—helps increase the number of blooms a lily produces.”
The pools are also home to colorful koi. Although it isn’t clear exactly when the koi were brought to the Italian Garden, at least one is about 50 years old. The koi benefit from the natural filtration system used for the water. A gravity-fed reservoir provides water for the pools, and water flows in and out of the pools continuously. This technology dates to 1895 and the gravity-fed reservoir used to supply water to Biltmore House.
The Italian Garden is available for dinners, receptions, and social events. The size of the area is 10,800 Square Feet and it can accommodate 150 guests.
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