The First Daffodil of Spring

Daffodil in bloom at the Biltmore Estate, Asheville, North Carolina. January 28, 2013.

(Note:  All pictures may be enlarged by clicking on them once or twice.)

Monday Betsy and I went to Asheville, North Carolina, to the Biltmore Estate.  We went primarily to visit the Conservatory — something we do a couple of times each year — and to do some walking around the estate.

As we were walking through one of the gardens back to the car, we spotted this daffodil in bloom under a tree.  Some of our daffodils are up, but they are a long way from blooming.  It was a surprise to find this one in bloom.

Orchid in the Conservatory at Biltmore, Asheville, North Carolina. January 28, 2013.

As I mentioned, Betsy and I went to enjoy the flowers in the Conservatory.  We spent quite a bit of time in the Orchid Room, enjoying beautiful blossoms like the one above.

Our World: Biltmore’s Walled Garden

The Walled Garden at the Biltmore Estate in Asheville, North Carolina. April 3, 2012.

(Note:  All pictures may be enlarged by clicking on them.)
This is my post for the Our World meme.  This meme is a second generation of My World Tuesday created by Klaus Peter and is hosted by five wonderful ladies.  To learn more about our world or to join and share your part of the world, click HERE.

Betsy and I paid another visit to the Biltmore Estate in Asheville, North Carolina, last week.  We went specifically to see the tulips in the Walled Garden.  George Vanderbilt wanted the Walled Garden to be a ‘garden of ornament’, so the garden consists of symmetrical flower beds arranged in patterns.  The picture above shows one side of the Walled Garden as seen from a hill overlooking the garden.

Tulips in the Walled Garden at Biltmore. April 3, 2012.

There were tulips of many different colors planted in the flower beds.

Tulips in Biltmore's Walled Garden. April 3, 2012.

Even the border flower beds along the road contained beautiful tulips.

Betsy and me in the Walled Garden at Biltmore, Asheville, North Carolina. April 3, 2012.

But the prettiest flower in the entire garden was my beautiful bride.