A pathway through the Azalea Garden. Photo by Judith Canty Graves
By Judith Canty Graves
One of my favorite places to visit during April is the Azalea Garden at the Biltmore Estate in Asheville. Actually, this area is more than a garden because it is a sprawling 15-acre section of the Estate in a valley that used to be called The Glen, designed by Frederick Law Olmsted.
This valley of azaleas is charming, with many paved and unpaved pathways, some of which follow streams. Paths twist and turn from one section of azaleas to another with bloom colors including lavender, white, red, orange and magenta.
Chauncey Beadle, the botanist and horticulturist who worked at the Biltmore from 1909 until 1950, created this garden with 3,000 plants collected for his farm in Asheville. In 1940, he donated these plants to the Estate to fulfill his vision for an azalea garden. In 1940, Edith Vanderbilt named this area the Azalea Garden, installing a plaque in honor of Beadle.
For 14 years, Beadle and three friends traveled through WNC and TN looking for native azaleas of the Southeast and recording detailed notes of what they found. They dug up plants, identified them and brought them to Beadle’s farm. Over the years, these “azalea hunters,” as they called themselves, collected thousands of plants. Because of Beadle’s passion, he became known as the “Azalea Man.”
A favorite was the Flame Azalea, a native plant with bright orange and yellow blossoms. It grows throughout the Southeast and is one of many in this historic garden.
Azaleas are in the genus Rhododendrun. There are many other species of rhododendrons blooming in April as well, adding their beauty to Biltmore’s azalea display. The Estate’s website has a convenient Bloom Report for checking the progress of the flowers in the Azalea Garden.
It is a treat to visit the Estate in April and walk down the stone staircase below the Conservatory to the Azalea Garden. Next to the railings are azaleas with red, white and pink blooms. Down the path, you will see many more azaleas. Some have buds about to open, but many have colorful blooms. Beadle chose plants for their different bloom times.
I always enjoy going off the beaten path to check on the growth of ferns and wildflowers along the creek banks. The many mature trees throughout the garden create cool shady areas. It is a peaceful experience to wander through this natural environment, listen to birds and flowing water, and admire the vivid azalea blossoms. Thanks to the life work of Chauncey Beadle, we can all enjoy this colorful springtime garden.
Judith Canty Graves is an award-winning columnist with a home garden in Asheville. Follow @TheObservantGardener on Instagram to see new garden photos daily.
